How long before taste returns after COVID?

What people call taste includes basic tastes detected by the tongue and aromas detected through the nose. A blocked nose or altered smell can therefore make food seem bland, strange or unpleasant even when the tongue is working normally. Recovery may be uneven: familiar foods can taste different, or flavour may return briefly and then fade.

If taste remains altered, becomes distorted, or is accompanied by other ongoing symptoms, arrange a review. Persistent Loss of Taste or Loss of Smell can occur among symptoms considered when assessing Long COVID, while dental, nasal or neurological causes may also be relevant.

Choose foods with varied textures and temperatures, and use safe, familiar herbs or seasonings if they make meals more appealing. Check use-by dates carefully because smell may not warn you that food has spoiled. Ask someone you trust to check food safety when needed, and keep meals balanced even if appetite is low.

Do not add excessive salt or sugar to compensate for reduced flavour. Maintain oral care and note which foods trigger unpleasant tastes. A symptom diary can help a clinician understand whether smell and taste are changing together.

Seek urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, chest pressure, new confusion, inability to stay awake, or blue or grey lips or skin. Arrange routine medical advice if altered taste affects eating, causes weight loss, lasts without improvement, or occurs with new neurological symptoms.

A clinician can examine your nose and mouth, review medicines and health conditions, and decide whether referral is appropriate. Do not use unprescribed nasal products or supplements as a substitute for assessment.

Ask whether your taste change is more likely related to smell, whether any medicine could contribute, how to protect nutrition, and what changes should trigger review. Note when COVID-19 symptoms began and describe altered flavours clearly.