Hot Coffee Smell Could Help in Your Daily Sniff Checks for COVID-19

Daily quick sniff of something pungent such as coffee is an easy way to determine if you have one of the COVID's most unique symptoms.

Long appreciated for its life-affirming, neuron-boosting aroma, coffee is now being held up all over the world as an at-home diagnostic tool to help control the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Why People with COVID-19 Infection Lose Their Sense of Smell: Study
High levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE-2) are found in the nose area responsible for smelling. This enzyme is thought to be the 'entry point' that allows novel coronavirus to get into the body's cells and cause an infection.

‘Hot coffee smell may help in your daily DIY sniff checks for COVID-19. ’

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A DCN study of scientific literature and anecdotal advice from scholars of taste and smell reveals coffee being used as the barometer for sniff-test for coronavirus, in part for its unique aroma and its extensive global availability homes.

The researchers now list the loss of smell, also known as anosmia, as one of the most common coronavirus symptoms. Most recent studies indicate that about 50 percent to as much as 80 percent of people testing positive for the coronavirus have suffered from anosmia.

The apparent good news, especially for coffee professionals who rely on olfactory observations to perform some of their most critical job functions, is that most people suffering from coronavirus-induced anosmia do ultimately have their senses of smell and taste fully restored, according to a preliminary study.

Study Shows Why Does COVID-19 Impair Your Sense of Smell?
In COVID-19 patients, there are many factors that trigger loss of smell, said researcher.

Early on, researchers were worried that the disease could have affected the neurons, endanger long-term olfactory capabilities. However, it now appears more likely that the disease only impacts a layer of cells in the nose that will recover within around 14 days.

Given the prevalence of anosmia among coronavirus carriers, the high percentage of asymptomatic carriers of the COVID virus, and the widespread availability of coffee, doctors everywhere recommend people to mask up and smell the coffee.

Loss Of Smell Included Among New COVID-19 Symptoms In US
Muscle pain and new loss of taste or smell are among the six new COVID-19 symptoms.

Of course, smelling coffee is not a perfect science, and it should not be confused with a valid medical test. A food science expert and epidemiologist at Penn State University elaborated on this caveat in a recent open-source piece for The Conversation that also suggested loss of smell may be the "single best predictor of a COVID-19 diagnosis."

"Loss of smell is very distinct to COVID-19, but not everyone with SARS-CoV-2 infection reports smells loss," the study stated. "Being able to smell things does not indicate that you are COVID-free. If you were able to smell coffee this morning, that is a vague result: It might mean you don't have SARS-CoV-2, but it could also suggest that you are infected with COVID-19 and didn't lose your normal sense of smell."

Source-Medindia