‘Smell training’ recommended to fight scent loss caused by Covid-19

NHS added loss of smell to list of virus symptoms in May last year

While not a cure, smell therapy has been described as a type of physiotherapy for the nose (Getty/iStock)

Scientists are recommending “smell training” for patients who have lost their ability to detect scent because of Covid-19.

Anosmia – loss or changed sense of smell – was added to the NHS’s list of coronavirus symptoms in May last year, after a wave of patients came forward reporting not being able to detect familiar odours or taste certain foods.

The NHS says most people who get anosmia because of Covid-19 recover from the condition within a few weeks or months, although it persists for some.