pulse oximeter

We should all have one. Who knew? An oximeter can measure the level of oxygenation in the blood.  A pulse oximeter takes your heart rate at the same time. It looks a bit like a clothes peg which you put on your finger. Light travels from one side through your finger and is registered by a sensor which translates the amount of light coming through to a shade of red.  Bright red indicates oxygenated blood, dark bluish red indicates blood which is low in oxygen.  An adult should register oxygen saturation levels between 95% and 100%.   A level between 92% and 95% is a signal that it is time to go to hospital.

The significance at this stage of the pandemic is that as much as possible people who register positive for COVID are advised to manage their illness at home. Hospitals are already overloaded.  But there is a problem in that it is possible to have a low oxygen saturation and not have other symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, loss of appetite or any sense of being unwell.  It is extremely dangerous to have a level below %95 for any length of time, so being able to monitor your oxygen saturation level as part of your home treatment is very important.