Smelling loss from COVID-19 isn't permanent, scientists conclude

Woman smells perfume through a mask — (Image credit: Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)

One of the most distinctive symptoms of COVID-19 is anosmia, or the loss of smell and taste. That condition isn't permanent, scientists reported Friday in the journal Science Advances. The new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 doesn't attack the cells that detect smell but rather the support cells for those olfactory neurons, says Sandeep Robert Datta, a Harvard Medical School neurobiologist who co-authored the study.

"Once the infection clears, olfactory neurons don't appear to need to be replaced or rebuilt from scratch," Datta tells USA Today. "But we need more data and a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms to confirm this conclusion." Viral infections that attack the actual olfactory neurons can deprive people of their smelling capacity for months or longer. COVID-19 patients usually recover their sense of smell after several weeks.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.