There is a symptom that almost certainly means you have COVID-19: loss of taste or smell, says Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease specialist and adviser to President Biden. Speaking at a virtual event organized by the National Congress of American Indians, Fauci reiterated that many people with COVID do not have any symptoms – about 30%. But among those who do, “the clinical manifestations are very, very clear,” he said. Keep reading to learn more about how to identify this symptom and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Clear signs that you’ve had the coronavirus.
Smell, loss of taste very common
COVID-19 is “very similar to a flu-like syndrome with fever, cough, fatigue, some myalgia [muscle pain]”, he added, with one exception:” One very unique thing about COVID-19 is the loss of smell and taste, which sometimes precedes the onset of respiratory symptoms. “
Fauci’s comments echoed previous surveys of patients with COVID-19, who found that loss of smell and taste is extremely common.
According Scientific American, this prevalence can reach 80 percent. “Loss of smell is so common in people with the disease that some researchers have recommended its use as a Diagnostic test because it can be a more reliable marker than fever or other symptoms, “said the publication.
One of these researchers, Nancy Rawson, a biologist and associate director at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia said that loss of smell “is one of the first symptoms” of COVID “, and certainly predates fever. Loss of smell alone predicts better diagnosis of than fever. ”
Experts are not sure why this is so. But the prevailing theory is that when the virus enters the body through the nose, it can attack and disable cells that help the olfactory system (smell) to function.
A July CDC survey found that the loss of smell and taste lasts eight days on average. But some people experience this for weeks or months. According to a November study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, some with a positive test for COVID reported that their sense of smell and taste had not returned six months after the initial infection.
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How to survive this pandemic
As for you, do everything you can to avoid getting – and spreading – COVID-19 in the first place: Wear a face mask, get tested if you think you have coronavirus, avoid crowds (and bars and parties at home), practice social detachment, perform only essential tasks, wash your hands regularly, disinfect frequently touched surfaces and overcome this pandemic in the healthiest way, don’t miss these 35 places you’re most likely to reach COVID.