Does loss of smell mean COVID?

A blocked or inflamed nose can reduce smells reaching the smell receptors. This can happen with a Common Cold, Allergic Rhinitis, or Chronic Sinusitis. COVID-19 can also change or reduce smell, sometimes with other symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, or tiredness. Loss of smell may continue after the infection as part of Long COVID.

The timing matters: note whether the change began with congestion or an acute illness, whether one or both sides are affected, and whether taste has changed too. A clinician can decide whether testing or an examination is appropriate.

Follow current local guidance about testing and reducing close contact when COVID-19 is possible. Avoid inserting objects into the nose, and take care with smoke, spoiled food, gas, and other hazards because smell may not warn you. Saline nasal care may be suitable for some congestion, but ask a pharmacist if you have nasal disease or use other treatments.

Arrange assessment if the change does not improve, keeps returning, affects eating or safety, or occurs without nasal symptoms. Do not use strong scents to test yourself if they irritate your nose.

Seek urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, confusion, fainting, a sudden severe headache, or weakness affecting one side. Arrange prompt medical review after a head injury, with severe facial pain or swelling, or when loss of smell is persistent and unexplained.

Could congestion, allergies, sinus disease, or COVID-19 explain this change? Do I need testing or an examination? How can I protect myself from household hazards while smell is reduced? When should I return for review?