Covid-19 and the Loss of Smell and Taste

The number of cases involving the loss of taste and smell are increasingly growing in the US. One specific case involved a college freshman named Abbe Piels who couldn’t smell or taste her bowl of cereal in the morning. Coincidentally, her father was in the hospital suffering from the virus. She stated that she did not experience any other symptoms and felt perfectly fine, but tested positive later on. About 60% of patients that tested positive for Covid-19 have experienced a loss of taste and smell. Just like how you lose the sense of taste and smell when you have the flu, coronavirus also shows these same symptoms. Although scientists aren’t completely sure how the virus is able to attack these senses, most have agreed that the ACE2 receptor binds with the spike proteins found on the virus, allowing the virus to enter the cell. ACE2 receptors are found in the throat, nose, and bronchial airways. The overall pathway of how the virus infects the nose and throat is complicated as it involves neurons and a basic foundation of the central nervous system. Overall, not being able to taste or smell is a common symptom of Covid-19 and should not be ignored.