Time scale for resolution of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19
Marlene M. Speth, Thirza Singer‐Cornelius, Michael Oberle, Isabelle Gengler, S.J. Brockmeier, Ahmad R. Sedaghat
Abstract
By now, the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is widely recognized around the world as a pandemic that has infected millions and claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands (1). Despite months of mitigation strategies, COVID-19 continues to spread and ascertainment of new knowledge about the disease process continues to be a priority of the medical community. Originally described by characteristic symptoms of fever, cough and/or shortness of breath that can rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome, it has become clear that COVID-19 has manifold clinical presentations (2-4). Notably, olfactory dysfunction (OD) decreased sense of smell has been reported to occur in up to 85.6% of COVID-19 patients (2,5).