UK adds loss of smell and taste to COVID-19 symptom list

By Guy Faulconbridge

 

A woman wearing a face mask and gloves walks on a platform at Waterloo Station in London, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, May 18, 2020. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom has added the loss of smell and taste to its official list of COVID-19 symptoms including fever and new continuous cough - a step that it hopes could help pick up about 2 percent more cases of the novel coronavirus.

 

“From today, all individuals should self-isolate if they develop a new continuous cough or fever or anosmia,” the United Kingdom’s four chief medical officers said in a joint statement.

 

“Anosmia is the loss or a change in your normal sense of smell. It can also affect your sense of taste as the two are closely linked.”

 

Other possible symptoms of COVID-19 include fatigue, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or loss of appetite, but have not been included in the basic case definition.

 

By adding anosmia the sensitivity of new case pick-up could increase to 93 percent from 91 percent with just new cough and fever, said Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer.

 

When asked why the United Kingdom has lagged other countries in including the loss of smell in its official list, Van-Tam said: “The question is: Which of those symptoms actually make the interception of cases better or worse?”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-18

 

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Lack of taste? 

I better go for a test. 

I almost bought a pair of shorts and a shirt from big c a few months back. 

Edited May 18, 20206 yr by northsouthdevide

49 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

When asked why the United Kingdom has lagged other countries in including the loss of smell in its official list, Van-Tam said: “The question is: Which of those symptoms actually make the interception of cases better or worse?”

 

No, the question was why has the UK lagged behind other countries in including these symptoms. 

Isn't that something they always had?

Poor Brits, so lagging behind even in common knowledge.

 

oh come on OP, what rock have you been living under for the last few months?! loss of taste and smell has been a know possible symptoms of the virus for at least two months, probably longer.

Let’s hope they don’t add ‘bad teeth’ and ‘awful haircuts’,  or we’ll be back into the ‘pre-existing conditions’ argument.

BREAKING NEWS:
The UK government has today announced that a deadly coronavirus has been making people sick in Wuhan, China.

18 May, 2020

COVID 19 has literally the same symtoms as a flu, however it takes much longer to recover and induces pneumonia in many people. Losing smell or taste is common during a cold as well when you have a stuffy nose and fever. You don't have much of an appetite then.

14 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

No, the question was why has the UK lagged behind other countries in including these symptoms. 

Tragically the UK's government late as usual with a potential loss of life; but does it care?

Oh dear, I should be tested for C-19....I lost my sense of smell and taste about 5 years ago....