COVID-19: Loss of smell and taste added to official list of symptoms - expert comment
18 May 2020
Dr Jane Parker, Director of the Flavour Centre at the University of Reading, said:
“I am very pleased that anosmia is now a recognised symptom of Covid-19 and that it can now be used as an official early warning signal and cue to self-isolate.
"The evidence has been accumulating over the past 2-3 months and there is little doubt that the two are related. Initially the evidence was anecdotal but large-scale surveys such as those from King’s College London and the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research (GCCR) have shown a strong link, and this is backed up by many more detailed clinical studies.
"It’s a very sensible move, as those that have experienced a sudden loss of smell have until now been advised to continue to work. Now they qualify for testing and should self-isolate, to prevent further spread of the disease. In many cases sudden loss of smell is an early warning signal and other symptoms of Covid-19 follow within days.
"Loss of smell occurs with other respiratory viruses, and there is some debate as to whether the mechanisms are similar in Covid-19. It certainly seems to be more prevalent in Covid-19, and the onset is very sudden.
"The interesting thing from the GCCR study published recently, is that sudden loss of smell is also associated with loss of taste (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami) which is different from other respiratory infections.”