Disclaimer : Please note that any medical information or benefits shared in this article are not guaranteed or implied.  The use of the word ‘may’ is deliberate. Please seek medical advice from experts if you are feeling unwell. Pulse oximeter devices purchased may not be medically approved or accurate for use. 

If you have Covid-19 type symptoms and are now short of breath when climbing stairs or doing light exercise you may seek to measure your blood oxygen level using a device called a “pulse oximeter’.  This may help you see if you are recovering and you are getting your breath back. A reading of 92% to 98% is seen as healthy. If it is less than that say 85% and going down you may need to seek medical help.

The Withings device I reviewed 3 years ago (It is not medically approved) has this feature and you can watch the video above to see how it works. Other pulse oximeters are available on sites like Amazon and are cheap (Around £25) and easy to use. If you have ever been to the doctor with breathing issues and the doctor says “stick your finger into this gadget’ it is probably a pulse oximeter he or she is using.

Here are a few other links for background reading :

1. Educational article on pulse oximetry
2. Launch of the Withings Pulse Ox device article
3. London medical group’s advise on use of pulse oximeters with Covid-19

Keep safe and well.