NASA is using Fitbits to prevent COVID-19 spread among astronauts

NASA is handing out Fitbit devices to 1,000 employees, including 150 astronauts, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 across its facilities. The wrist devices can track several key health metrics like body temperature and resting heart rate, which can help NASA detect a potential outbreak before symptoms emerge.

Insiders: Nexters who have attended our first virtual conference, Nextopic: Future of Pandemics, right near the start of the pandemic will actually trace the origin of this story back to one of our very own Nextopic speakers, Dr. Jennifer Radin, PhD. An epidemiologist at Scripps Research Translational Institute's digital medicine division, Jennifer is one of the pioneers of this research. Needless to say, this news story has a special place in our hearts.

Get Involved: You too can join NASA in the efforts to detect a potential outbreak preemptively, and become a citizen scientist by visiting detectstudy.org or directly downloading the MyDataHelps app on your smart device!