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

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.

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Self-reported smell and taste changes are early indicators of the COVID-19 pandemic and of the effectiveness of political decisions

10.31219/osf.io/n4p3w ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Denis Pierron ◽

Veronica Pereda-Loth ◽

marylou Mantel ◽

Maëlle Moranges ◽

Emmanuelle Bignon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Makers ◽

Public Health Decision ◽

Taste Changes ◽

Self Reports ◽

Rapid Effect ◽

Health Decision ◽

Cross Country ◽

Specific Symptoms ◽

Political Decisions ◽

New Onset

In response to the COVID-19, many governments have taken unprecedented measures in peacetime, to avoid an overflow of intensive care units and critical care resuscitation units (CCRUs). Due to the heavy societal and economic impact of measure such as the lockdown1, accurate means to characterize the spread of the disease would be extremely helpful for the reopening strategies. Concurrently, smell and taste changes have been identified as among the most specific symptoms of COVID-192,3. Here, we show that self-reports of smell/taste changes are more closely associated with hospital overload and are much earlier than the current governmental indicators. We also show a decrease of new onset as early as 5 days after the lockdown enforcement, which is consistent with a rapid effect of the lockdown on the pandemic. Cross-country comparisons show countries with the most stringent lockdown measures (France and Italy) present a faster decline in new reports of the onset of smell/taste changes after the lockdown than a country with less stringent measures (United Kingdom). Public health decision makers could thus monitor self-reported changes in the ability to smell or taste i/as an early and specific indicator of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ii/to evaluate the success of reopening strategies.

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Techniques for Isolation Precautions

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/s0195941700058628 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 4 (S4) ◽

pp. 253-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Patient Care ◽

Intensive Care Units ◽

Environmental Control ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Skin Infections ◽

Invasive Procedures ◽

Important Means ◽

Spread Of Infection ◽

Taking Care

This section contains information essential to understanding and properly using the isolation precautions that appear in the guideline and on the instruction cards. Many of the techniques and recommendations for isolation precautions are appropriate not only for patients known or suspected to be infected but also for routine patient care. For example, gowns are appropriate for patient-care personnel when soiling with feces is likely, whether or not the patient is known or suspected to be infected with an enteric pathogen, and caution should be used when handling any used needle.Handwashing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection. Personnel should always wash their hands, even when gloves are used, after taking care of an infected patient or one who is colonized with microorganisms of special clinical or epidemiologic significance, for example, multiply-resistant bacteria. In addition, personnel should wash their hands after touching excretions (feces, urine, or material soiled with them) or secretions (from wounds, skin infections, etc.) before touching any patient again. Hands should also be washed before performing invasive procedures, touching wounds, or touching patients who are particularly susceptible to infection. Hands should be washed between all patient contacts in intensive care units and newborn nurseries. (See Guideline for Hospital Environmental Control: Antiseptics, Handwashing, and Handwashing Facilities.)When taking care of patients infected (or colonized) with virulent or epidemiologically important microorganisms, personnel should consider using antiseptics for handwashing rather than soap and water, especially in intensive care units.

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