Can a Wearable Stop a Pandemic?

While wearables for audio streaming, augmented reality, data storage, drug delivery, enhanced hearing, and fitness may continue to enjoy upward growth in 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has ushered in a new period of growth for other wearables — those focused on monitoring.1 In particular, the emergency is opening the door to enhanced patient monitoring, symptom monitoring, and location monitoring. Governments and regulators around the world are embracing this technology, loosening traditional oversight, and surprising the public.2 And wearables are playing a critical role in those efforts.