Many Covid patients experienced losing taste and smell due to covid, in fact, this is one of the hallmarks of this illness which differentiates from a normal cold or even flu. If you are worried that you may not regain your sense of smell and taste then contact Anna Pharmacy for advice and support.
The after-effects of Covid-19
Taste derives from smell so the majority of people who experience any loss of smell will find their tastebuds are affected too. It is not uncommon for both senses to take weeks if not months to be fully restored after Covid-19 but the good news is that for the large majority of people, these senses are not permanently impaired.
Is there a smell and taste test for Covid-19?
Most people understand that these senses will return gradually, there is no set pattern or timeframe. Up to 80% of Covid sufferers will report impairment of smell and taste. There are tests which measure smell function but it is such a common symptom of Covid that most people just take an antigen swab test to confirm whether or not they have the virus rather than take a test which tries to assess the level of smell impairment.
However, there is a home test to evaluate anosmia which is the medical name for loss of smell. This is called the ‘jellybean test’.
Take a jellybean in one hand and with the other hand, hold your nose tightly so that airflow is completely restricted.
Then put the jellybean in your mouth and chew it, still with one hand restricting your nose. You should experience all the flavours of your favourite jellybean if you have a functional taste. Whilst chewing, suddenly release your nose, if your sense of smell is not impaired then you will experience a surge of all the flavours. Covid-19 can have a nasty sting in the tale and some people take weeks or months to recover from the virus. There are a group of people who suffer from Long Covid which is impaired respiratory function and other health problems although they are small in number. Taste and smell may return slowly but for most sufferers, these senses do come back. For more advice on how to manage Covid-19 symptoms and how to stay safe from the disease, contact Anna Pharmacy, your trusted healthcare partner.