Parosmia, a distorted sense of smell, turns the aroma of food and drinks into an unpleasant experience. Photo: Unsplash
Parosmia, a distorted sense of smell, turns the aroma of food and drinks into an unpleasant experience. Photo: Unsplash
Parosmia, a distorted sense of smell, turns the aroma of food and drinks into an unpleasant experience. Photo: Unsplash
Parosmia, a distorted sense of smell, turns the aroma of food and drinks into an unpleasant experience. Photo: Unsplash

Millions suffer long-lasting changes to sense of smell or taste after Covid-19


Simon Rushton
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  • Arabic

Millions of Covid patients suffered long-term changes to taste and smell that made eating food “disgusting and emotionally distressing”, a study published on Thursday shows.

One in 20, or 5 per cent, of patients have long-term smell and taste issues that cause “severe distress”.

Other patients suffered anorexia, anxiety and depression, according to the study, published in The BMJ, which reviewed data from 18 studies involving 3,699 patients.

The study was published as NHS England announced its plan for improving the treatment of people with long Covid.

In a linked editorial, a team of Italian academics wrote: “About 5 per cent of people report smell and taste dysfunction six months after Covid-19, and given that an estimated 550 million cases of Covid-19 have been reported worldwide as of July 2022, large numbers of patients will be seeking care for these disabling morbidities.

“Health systems should therefore be ready to provide support to these patients who often report feeling isolated when their symptoms are overlooked by clinicians.”

Loss of smell and taste adversely affects quality of life by depriving those affected of several everyday pleasures and social bonds. Getty Images
Loss of smell and taste adversely affects quality of life by depriving those affected of several everyday pleasures and social bonds. Getty Images

They said people “only realise the importance of smell when it is lost” and they can be “severely distressed” when they lose these senses.

“Loss of smell and taste adversely affects quality of life by depriving those affected of several everyday pleasures and social bonds,” the team, led by Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo from the University of Trieste, wrote.

“People can also experience anorexia, food aversions, malnutrition, anxiety, and depression,” they said.

Parosmia — the experience of a distorted sense of smell — “transforms a pleasant odour into an unpleasant one”, the group said.

For England, the NHS plans to fund 90 specialist long Covid clinics, 14 centres for children and young people and training investment to support doctors.

Dr Kiren Collison, chair of the NHS long Covid task force, said: “Long Covid can be devastating for those living with it, and while we continue to learn more about this new condition, it's important people know they're not alone, and that the NHS is here for them.

“Today's plan builds on this world-leading care, to ensure support is there for everyone who needs it, and that patients requiring specialist support can access care in a timely and more convenient way,” she said.

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Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)

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1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10

2nd ODI, Friday, April 12

3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

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UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community

• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style

“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.

Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term. 

From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”

• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International

"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed.  Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."

• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."

• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com

"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.

His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.

Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."

• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher

"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen.  He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”

• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."

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