News Health & Medicine

COVID-related smell loss may last years

A scratch-and-sniff test revealed people’s ability to detect scents two years after infection

A man sniffs a cup of coffee while holding a spoon.

After COVID-19, some people may experience smell loss, a symptom that may persist for years.

John Coletti/Getty Images

By Meghan Rosen

Maybe you can’t detect the scent of grass anymore. Or maybe coffee’s aroma now triggers disgust. After getting COVID-19, your sense of smell may seem persistently off.