Since its emergence, SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19, has become a global health threat, with more than 23 million cases documented worldwide, and over 821,000 deaths as of August 26, 2020 [1].
With ongoing community transmission from asymptomatic individuals, the current disease burden is expected to rise, as well as the need for healthcare workers in patient-facing roles [2].
The many unknowns about the virulence, spread, and nature of the novel coronavirus bring to the forefront the need for protecting the physical and psychological well-being of healthcare personnel.
This is where advanced wearable technology and AI can step in to keep healthcare workers safe, not just from COVID-19, but also from other physical and mental health threats that can surface as a result of the demanding nature of their work.
Preventing COVID-19 transmission
Due to the personal exposure to patients with SARS-CoV-2 and fellow staff, healthcare workers are at high risk of infection. In an analysis of information from the U.K. and U.S., frontline health care workers had a nearly 12-times higher risk of testing positive for COVID-19 compared with individuals in the general community [3]. This can compromise their own health and may also contribute to nosocomial spread within hospitals. Nosocomial infections are infections that develop as a result of a stay in hospital or are produced by microorganisms and viruses acquired during hospitalization.Measures to prevent transmission of viral respiratory diseases [4] to and among healthcare personnel generally include:
