Long-haul COVID-19 and Smell Loss (Anosmia) – Explanation & Next Steps

In this episode of EUFOREA News, we explore the extraordinary symptom that many people have been suffering from after they’ve been struck down by COVID-19. Our guest is Professor Basile Landis, Associate Physician, Head of Rhinology and Olfactory Unit at Genève University and a world expert on smell functionality. Coronavirus has infected nearly a quarter of a million people worldwide and has killed nearly 5 million people around the world. However, those who have survived have been plagued with ongoing symptoms (sometimes referred to as long haul Covid).

One of the most striking clinical features of Covid infection is loss of smell, which affects nearly 60% of patients during infection and which may persist after recovery from covid. Olfactory dysfunction is a common side effect of many post-viral illnesses but there is a huge body of evidence that indicate that taste and smell loss are common symptoms of COVID-19 that may persist long after the initial infection. This effect has a profound impact on quality of life.