Smell and taste changes are early indicators of the COVID-19 pandemic and political decision effectiveness

Denis Pierron (), Veronica Pereda-Loth, Marylou Mantel, Maëlle Moranges, Emmanuelle Bignon, Omar Alva, Julie Kabous, Margit Heiske, Jody Pacalon, Renaud David, Caterina Dinnella, Sara Spinelli, Erminio Monteleone, Michael C. Farruggia, Keiland W. Cooper, Elizabeth A. Sell, Thierry Thomas-Danguin, Alyssa J. Bakke, Valentina Parma, John E. Hayes, Thierry Letellier, Camille Ferdenzi, Jérôme Golebiowski () and Moustafa Bensafi ()
Additional contact information
Denis Pierron: Équipe de Médecine Evolutive Faculté de chirurgie dentaire; UMR5288; CNRS/Université Paul-Sabiater Toulouse III
Veronica Pereda-Loth: Équipe de Médecine Evolutive Faculté de chirurgie dentaire; UMR5288; CNRS/Université Paul-Sabiater Toulouse III
Marylou Mantel: University Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Maëlle Moranges: University Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Emmanuelle Bignon: Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice UMR7272
Omar Alva: Équipe de Médecine Evolutive Faculté de chirurgie dentaire; UMR5288; CNRS/Université Paul-Sabiater Toulouse III
Julie Kabous: Équipe de Médecine Evolutive Faculté de chirurgie dentaire; UMR5288; CNRS/Université Paul-Sabiater Toulouse III
Margit Heiske: Équipe de Médecine Evolutive Faculté de chirurgie dentaire; UMR5288; CNRS/Université Paul-Sabiater Toulouse III
Jody Pacalon: Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice UMR7272
Renaud David: Université Côte d’Azur, CHU de Nice, Nice Memory Clinic
Caterina Dinnella: University of Florence
Sara Spinelli: University of Florence
Erminio Monteleone: University of Florence
Michael C. Farruggia: Yale University
Keiland W. Cooper: University of California
Elizabeth A. Sell: University of Pennsylvania
Thierry Thomas-Danguin: University Bourgogne Franche-Comté
Alyssa J. Bakke: The Pennsylvania State University
Valentina Parma: Temple University
John E. Hayes: The Pennsylvania State University
Thierry Letellier: Équipe de Médecine Evolutive Faculté de chirurgie dentaire; UMR5288; CNRS/Université Paul-Sabiater Toulouse III
Camille Ferdenzi: University Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Jérôme Golebiowski: Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice UMR7272
Moustafa Bensafi: University Claude Bernard Lyon 1

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments have taken drastic measures to avoid an overflow of intensive care units. Accurate metrics of disease spread are critical for the reopening strategies. Here, we show that self-reports of smell/taste changes are more closely associated with hospital overload and are earlier markers of the spread of infection of SARS-CoV-2 than current governmental indicators. We also report a decrease in self-reports of new onset smell/taste changes as early as 5 days after lockdown enforcement. Cross-country comparisons demonstrate that countries that adopted the most stringent lockdown measures had faster declines in new reports of smell/taste changes following lockdown than a country that adopted less stringent lockdown measures. We propose that an increase in the incidence of sudden smell and taste change in the general population may be used as an indicator of COVID-19 spread in the population.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18963-y

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