Olfactory and taste dysfunction among mild‐to‐moderate symptomatic COVID‐19 positive health care workers: An international survey

Andrews, Peter J.; Pendolino, Alfonso Luca; Ottaviano, Giancarlo; Scarpa, Bruno; Grant, Joseph; Gaudioso, Piergiorgio; Bordin, Anna; Marchese‐Ragona, Rosario; Leoni, Davide; Cattelan, Annamaria; Kaura, Anika; Gane, Simon; Hamilton, Nick J.; Choi, David; Andrews, Julie A.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of olfactory and taste dysfunction (OD; TD) among COVID‐19 positive health care workers (HCWs), their associated risk factors and prognosis. METHODS: Between May and June 2020, a longitudinal multicenter study was conducted on symptomatic COVID‐19 PCR confirmed HCWs (COVID‐19 positive) in London and Padua. RESULTS: Hundred and fourteen COVID‐19 positive HCWs were surveyed with a response rate of 70.6% over a median follow‐up period of 52 days. UK prevalence of OD and TD was 73.1% and 69.2%, respectively. There was a male to female ratio of 1:3 with 81.6% being white, 43.7% being nurses/health care assistants (HCAs), and 39.3% being doctors. In addition, 53.2% of them worked on COVID‐19 wards. Complete recovery was reported in 31.8% for OD and 47.1% for TD with a 52 days follow‐up. The job role of doctors and nurses negatively influenced smell (P = .04 and P = .02) and taste recovery (P = .02 and P = .01). Ethnicity (being white) showed to positively influence only taste recovery (P = .04). Sex (being female) negatively influenced OD and TD recovery only in Paduan HCWs (P = .02 and P = .011, respectively). Working on a COVID‐19 ward did not influence prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of OD and TD was considerably higher in HCWs. The prognosis for OD and TD recovery was worse for nurses/HCAs and doctors but working on a COVID‐19 ward did not influence prognosis. Sixty‐eight percent of surveyed HCWs at 52 days continued to experience OD or TD requiring additional future medical management capacity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.