COVID-19-Related Loss of Smell and Taste Returns in Three Years, Shows Study

Loss of smell and taste was one of the early indicators of the infectious disease. However, subsequent variants have had far less impact on taste and smell, with the Omicron variant having almost no perceptible impact.

The study, published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, investigated the long-term loss of the ability to smell and taste in 88 individuals who had mild symptoms of COVID-19 and had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in March and April of 2020.

The prevalence of self-reported smell or taste dysfunction was 64.8%, 31.8%, 20.5% and 15.9% during the acute phase of C, at 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year follow-up, respectively, said the researchers from the University of Trieste, Italy.

If participants were age 50 or younger at the time of enrollment, they were less likely to report long-lasting loss of taste or smell.

By year 3, there was no statistically significant excess of olfactory dysfunction (OD) between cases and controls (13.6% vs 10.2%).

“Patients with PCC (post COVID-19 condition) exhibiting chemosensory alterations should be reassured that a recovery of olfaction appears to continue over three years after initial infection,” the researchers said.

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