Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Loss Of Smell Or Taste May Signal Mild Covid Case, Study Finds
Fox News: Those With Mild Coronavirus Experience Loss Of Taste, Smell In 86% Of Cases: Study
In a study published on Tuesday in the Journal of Internal Medicine, researchers found that some 86% of people with a mild case of the coronavirus lost their sense of taste and smell. The study involved more than 2,500 patients across 18 European hospitals. "[Olfactory dysfunction] is more prevalent in mild COVID-19 forms than in moderate-to-critical forms," the researchers said in the study, noting that according to their research, 75% to 85% of people regained their ability to taste and smell two months after their infection, while 95% of patients regained their ability to taste and smell at six months. An estimated 5% of patients, however, still had not regained this ability by six months. (Farber, 1/7)
Miami Herald: Mild COVID Cases More Likely To Lose Their Sense Of Smell
Loss of smell, clinically known as anosmia, is often one of the first symptoms felt by people infected with the coronavirus, and often one of the only ones to show up. Now, a new study of about 2,500 COVID-19 patients found that a faulty nose affects mostly those with mild cases — nearly 86% — while only slightly affecting people with moderate illnesses (4.5%) and severe-to-critical cases (6.9%). (Camero, 1/7)
CNN: Loss Of Smell In Mild Covid-19 Cases Occurs 86% Of The Time, Study Says
Some 86% of people with mild cases of Covid-19 lose their sense of smell and taste but recover it within six months, according to a new study of over 2,500 patients from 18 European hospitals. A case of Covid-19 was considered mild if there was no evidence of viral pneumonia or loss of oxygen and the patient was able to recover at home. (LaMotte, 1/6)
NBC News: Loss Of Smell And Taste Can Linger After Covid Or Come Back Different
Why loss of smell and taste are more common among people with milder forms of Covid-19 remains unclear. The study's authors theorized that such patients have higher levels of certain antibodies that might limit the spread of the coronavirus to the nose. (Edwards, 1/6)
