Pulse oximeter rollout to help people recover from COVID-19 at home

Pulse oximeters are small devices that can be clipped onto a person’s finger. They monitor blood oxygen levels, which are used as an indicator that someone with COVID-19 needs extra medical help or a hospital admission.

You may be eligible for a pulse oximeter if you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 7 days and:

• are over 65 years old
• are over 16 years old and have a health condition like COPD, asthma or diabetes
• are pregnant
• are significantly overweight
• have an active malignancy (cancer)
• have a learning disability

To find out if you’re eligible, you can fill out a short confidential survey here. 

Once approved, you’ll receive a phone call and a pulse oximeter will be sent directly to your home or to a local pharmacy. You can then report your oxygen readings to local health and care teams twice a day, in the way that’s easiest for you. This could be by email or text message. Some people, including those with a learning disability, might prefer a phone call – which can all be arranged with the service.

People are offered regular prompts or check-ins as part of being on a ‘virtual ward’, to ensure they are confident in using the oximeter and that they know what to do if oxygen levels fall below normal levels.

This information is available in several different languages, which can be downloaded below.

If you need this information in a different format, please email helen@healthwatchbnssg.co.uk