How Doctors Would Treat a 74-Year-Old Man Who Has Covid-19

The decision on whether to start giving medicine to a 74-year-old man with Covid-19 begins with a small mechanical device placed on his finger.

It’s called a pulse oximeter. Using beams of light, it measures how much oxygen is in the blood, as well as heart rate. If it produces a reading of less than 95%, it can be the first determiner for doctors on whether to start aggressive treatment with antiviral and anti-inflammatory medication, according to Hugh Cassiere, medical director for respiratory therapy services at North Shore University Hospital on Long Island.

Pulse Oximeter

Photographer: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty Images

Cassiere was speaking hypothetically about ...