Among the half-billion people who have passed through Covid-19's shadow, a quiet and persistent wound remains for roughly one in twenty: the world has lost its scent and flavour. A large international study, published in the British Medical Journal, finds that some 27 million people globally may never fully recover their sense of smell or taste — a loss that is invisible to scanners and absent from headlines, yet quietly reshapes how people eat, remember, and move through the world. The research is both a reckoning with scale and a call to medicine to take seriously what it has long overlooked
The Irish Times
· Jul 27, 2022
· health
· 1 min read
High
Sourcing: Verified
Study: 5% of Covid patients face long-term smell and taste loss
Approximately 27 million Covid-19 patients may experience persistent smell and taste dysfunction, significantly impacting quality of life and wellbeing.
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Bias & Framing
⚖
Factual reporting on peer-reviewed research with balanced presentation of findings; minimal bias detected in straightforward health journalism.
Bias Direction
center
Confidence
HIGH
Evidence-based reporting that presents research findings with appropriate context and caveats. Uses percentages and recovery rates to provide comprehensive picture. Frames long-term effects as affecting a minority while noting most recover.
Patient testimonials or lived experiences of those with persistent anosmia/dysgeusia
Perspective from otolaryngologists or specialists treating these conditions
Discussion of quality-of-life impact beyond medical statistics
Comparison to other post-viral conditions with similar prevalence rates
Geopolitical Impact
🌎
Medical research on COVID-19 long-term effects has no direct geopolitical implications; this is a public health finding affecting 27M people globally.
Escalation Risk
low
Confidence
HIGH
Economic Lens
📈
5% of Covid-19 patients face persistent smell/taste loss affecting ~27M globally, with women showing lower recovery rates, potentially increasing demand for healthcare services and treatment development.
Market Signal
mixed
Confidence
HIGH
Healthcare and medical services
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology
Mental health services
Food and beverage industry
Disability support services
Medical research and development
27 million people globally may experience reduced quality of life, affecting nutrition, food enjoyment, and social dining. This creates demand for specialized medical treatments, therapies, and support services. Potential productivity losses from affected workers and increased healthcare expenditures for households.
Governments may need to allocate research funding for chemosensory dysfunction treatment, establish long-term patient registries for monitoring, integrate smell/taste assessment into post-Covid care protocols, and potentially recognize long-Covid conditions in disability/workers' compensation frameworks. Healthcare systems should develop specialized clinics and treatment guidelines.