There is basically no one who has not had their sense of taste and smell back after recovering from COVID. The loss of taste and smell should not be permanent, according to Wen Danning from Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, who has been engaged in clinical work on infectious diseases for over 20 years and has participated in the treatment of patients during major pandemics such as SARS, avian flu and COVID-19.
Wen said that they have clinically encountered around 10% of patients that lost their sense of taste and smell. Most of them were infected with the Omicron COVID variant BF.7. However, they all recovered their sense of taste or smell after three to five days.
“I don’t observe that the central nervous system was affected. It might be because that the peripheral neurons involved in the sense of taste and smell were impaired temporarily. So, we saw patients start recovering these senses after three to five days in clinical cases,” Wen said.
Some might experience symptoms such as cough, diarrhea, and sore throat for seven to 10 days after COVID infections. These symptoms are not deemed as corollary as the aftereffects of a disease that are still present three to six months after recovery. These symptoms will gradually relieve or disappear, according to Wen.
However, Wen suggested that people should also take their personal situations into consideration. For example, if a person has chronic lung diseases, they should seek a doctor or take drugs once there are no improvements in symptoms as lung infections are frequent in spring and winter. The principle of medication should be symptom-targeted.
With regards to fever from COVID infections, Wen advised those whose body temperature has gone up above 39 degrees Celsius for more than five days to seek a doctor.
Elderly people must see a doctor when their body temperature is above 39 degrees Celsius for three days, and people over 60 years old are highly vulnerable to COVID, especially those with underlying diseases like diabetes.
In addition, people should avoid strenuous exercises during early-stage recovery. It will also take longer time for some people to fully recover from COVID. As a result, it is important for people to gradually return to the previous level of activity or workload and take a rest when feeling tired.
“Omicron invades more of the upper airway and has little impact on other organs. Compared to the Delta variant, Omicron is less virulent. I don’t think it will influence reproductive function,” Wen added.
Not only Omicron, but many viruses in the respiratory tract are airborne. Particles with viruses can float in the air for a long time. That’s why we need to keep offices, living rooms and other places ventilated, according to Wen.
Last but not least, family members and people who live or work in the same area mostly get infected with the same virus so they will not get reinfected in the short term as the immune system will produce antibodies which can offer protection for three to six months.
In another development, citizens are advised to only call the special line 120 for medical assistance when encountering emergencies such as falling unconscious or fainting, heart attack, dyspnea or hyperventilation and acute trauma, so as to leave the cirtical services to those really in need. In the past week, the average daily calls to 120 have more than tripled in the city, according to the Shenzhen Center for Prehospital care.