WE usually rely on signs like a scratchy throat, headache or feeling tired to tell us that we’re getting ill.
But Apple Watch owners might have an additional trick up their sleeves – as the device can eerily predict whether users are at the brink of getting Covid or the flu days before symptoms actually start.
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It’s not the first time smartwatches have come in handy when it comes to health, as the devices have been hailed for spotting hidden conditions and deadly heart emergencies.
Adam Croft previously said his Apple watch saved his life by alerting him to a heart condition, after he dismissed symptoms like dizziness and heart flutters.
And mum Elaine Thompson claims she could have died if her watch hadn’t flashed a ‘red alert’ sign warning her of abnormal heart rhythm.
Now, Apple Watch owners have left stunned by its ability to detect a looming infection – based on only their temperature.
A new app named Vitals that’s available through the latest watchOS 11 software update is behind this handy feature.
The software collects key health metrics – such as your heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and sleep duration – during the night and provides a picture of your overall health.
By establishing a typical range for each of the above health metrics, it alerts you about anything that’s out of the ordinary.
Users will receive a notification about this, along with context on what could be driving it, like medications you’re taking or a possible illness.
Apple notes that Vitals app measurements aren’t intended for medical use.
But smartwatch owners have reported how the device has flagged potential health issues, like flu and Covid, after picking up subtle changes in their body.
It comes as experts have warned of a worrying new Covid strain spreading “rapidly” across the globe.
One user took to Reddit to recount how “the Vitals app knew I was sick three days before I did”.
They shared a screenshot of their Vitals data, which showed that their wrist temperature had been higher than normal for three days.
The app notifies wearers when two or more of their metrics – heart rate, breathing rate or wrist temperature – change, sending a notification about “outliers”.
The user in question said they’d received notifications about their wrist temperature for two days and not had any symptoms, before coming down with the flu on the third day.
“Woke up today feeling off,” they wrote.
“Now as the evening is setting in, I am feeling that old familiar feeling in my head. I’m sick.”
Other Apple Watch owners chimed in in the comments to describe similar experiences using the Vitals app.
One user said: “I started using Vitals when it first came out on the beta and since then I’ve gotten sick about twice.
“Both times it knew a couple days in advance and I hadn’t felt anything wrong.
“Kinda insane how useful this feature can be.”
Another shared: “Oh boy, I just got the worst illness of my adult life, and my Apple Watch perfectly captured the whole experience.”
They added screenshots of their Vitals data to the thread.
Symptoms of Covid XEC
By Isabel Shaw, Health Reporter
We don’t know what the specific XEC symptoms are just yet.
So far, the signs aren’t too dissimilar from what we’ve seen with earlier strains.
This includes tiredness, headaches, a sore throat, a high fever and a dry cough.
The loss of taste and smell – once a hallmark sign of the bug – is only reported by two to three per cent of infected Brits, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
If you are suffering from Covid, prioritise rest and hydration while using over-the-counter medications like paracetamol to relieve symptoms.
The best way to protect yourself from Covid is to get vaccinated.
Jabs have been updated to tackle recent variants, though not specifically for XEC, which evolved from earlier Omicron strains.
The NHS is offering autumn Covid boosters to the most vulnerable in October. This includes:
- Over-64s
- People aged between six months and 64 years with health conditions that make them more vulnerable
- People living in care homes for older people
- Front-line health and social care staff, including in care homes for older people
The NHS will contact eligible patients directly, but they can also book their own appointments now via the NHS App, GPs, pharmacies, drop-in clinics, or by calling 119.
“The first image is a typical week, the second image was when I fought Covid back in late August (and that was nasty too), and the last image has been my past week.”
People also took to X – formerly Twitter to – to praise the new Apple Watch Feature.
User Rory Evans posted that his watch had “detected a few things with my vitals days before I tested positive for Covid”.
‘It CAN’T diagnose or treat’
Apple stresses that the app can’t diagnose or treat medical conditions.
Instead, it should be used as a tool for users to gain a better understanding of their health.
Ahead of the app’s launch, Apple explained how it worked.
“When two or more metrics are out of their typical range, users can receive a notification, along with a message detailing how the changes in these specific metrics may be linked to other aspects of their life, such as elevation changes, alcohol consumption, or even illness,” it said.
If you want to give it a go yourself, open the Watch app on your iPhone or the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
Select General, followed by Software update and the watchOS 11 update should appear.
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