Can COVID-19 Cause a Loss of Taste and Smell?

A new study published in PLOS Medicine surveyed nearly 600 people who experienced a loss of taste or smell in the previous month, then administered COVID-19 tests to 567 of those survey participants.

A recent Prevention article reports that nearly 78% of those people tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.

But Richard Watkins, M.D., an infectious disease physician and professor of internal medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University, doesn’t want Prevention readers to panic if they experience these symptoms, noting that anosmia — loss of smell — can be caused by factors other than COVID-19, including allergies, colds or upper respiratory infections.

If you suddenly develop a loss of taste and smell, health experts recommend contacting your doctor to discuss getting tested for COVID-19.