Can Your Fitbit Predict the Flu?
New research suggests fitness devices can improve real-time flu-tracking
Forecasting the flu is a pain. The influenza virus evolves into different strains each year, which makes it hard for the makers of the flu vaccine to create the perfect flu shot in advance. Once flu season is in full swing, and the number of infections is picking up, pinpointing where and when an outbreak will hit is nearly impossible. It is, therefore, no surprise that flu outbreaks often spread rapidly and unpredictably, killing up to 61,000 people in the United States each year.
Identifying a flu epidemic early and predicting its spread could save lives. In order to do that, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would need to collect real-time data on where and when people are getting sick with the flu at any given moment. In reality, public health experts can only collect this data after the fact, often weeks after people become ill.
Inspired by this dilemma, researchers from the nonprofit Scripps Research Translational Institute in San Diego, California, say they’ve identified a possible solution. In a new study published in Lancet Digital Health, the scientists report that Fitbits — devices that are best known for helping users measure their steps — might help track the flu’s spread in real…
