Olfactory and taste dysfunction among mild-to-moderate symptomatic COVID-19 positive health care workers: An international survey

Abstract Objectives To determine the prevalence of olfactory and taste dysfunction (OD;TD) among COVID-19 positive health care workers (HCWs), their associated risk factors and prognosis Methods Between May and June 2020, a longitudinal multicenter study was conducted on symptomatic COVID-19 PCR confirmed HCWs (COVID-19 positive) in London and Padua Results Hundred and fourteen COVID-19 positive HCWs were surveyed with a response rate of 70 6% over a median follow-up period of 52?days UK prevalence of OD and TD was 73 1% and 69 2%, respectively There was a male to female ratio of 1:3 with 81 6% being white, 43 7% being nurses/health care assistants (HCAs), and 39 3% being doctors In addition, 53 2% of them worked on COVID-19 wards Complete recovery was reported in 31 8% for OD and 47 1% for TD with a 52?days follow-up The job role of doctors and nurses negatively influenced smell (P =? 04 and P =? 02) and taste recovery (P =? 02 and P =? 01) Ethnicity (being white) showed to positively influence only taste recovery (P =? 04) Sex (being female) negatively influenced OD and TD recovery only in Paduan HCWs (P =? 02 and P =? 011, respectively) Working on a COVID-19 ward did not influence prognosis Conclusions The prevalence of OD and TD was considerably higher in HCWs The prognosis for OD and TD recovery was worse for nurses/HCAs and doctors but working on a COVID-19 ward did not influence prognosis Sixty-eight percent of surveyed HCWs at 52?days continued to experience OD or TD requiring additional future medical management capacity Level of Evidence 4