Altered Smell and Taste: anosmia, parosmia and the long impact of Covid-19

Burges Watson, D. L.; Campbell, M.; Hopkins, C.; Smith, B.; Kelly, C.; Deary, V.

Abstract Background: Qualitative olfactory (smell) dysfunctions are a common side effect of post-viral illness and known to impact on quality of life and health status. Evidence is emerging that taste and smell loss are common symptoms of Covid-19 that may emerge and persist long after initial infection. The aim of the present study was to document the impact of post Covid-19 alterations to taste and smell. Methods: We conducted passive and active thematic analysis of user-generated text from 9000 users of the AbScent Covid-19 Smell and Taste Loss moderated Facebook support group from March 24 to 30th September 2020. Results: Participants reported difficulty understanding, explaining and managing altered taste and smell; a lack of interpersonal and professional explanation or support; altered eating; appetite loss, weight change; loss of pleasure in food, eating and social engagement; altered intimacy and an altered relationship to self and others. Conclusions: Our findings suggest altered taste and smell with Covid-19 lead to a severe disruption to daily living that impacts on psychological well-being and health. Moreover, this impact is broad, spanning flavour perception; desire and ability to eat and prepare food; weight gain, loss and nutritional sufficiency; emotional wellbeing; professional practice; intimacy; social bonding and erosion of peoples very sense of reality. Our findings should inform the training, assessment and treatment practices of health care professionals working with long Covid.