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People who suspect that their sense of smell has been dulled after a bout of COVID-19 are likely correct, a new study using an objective, 40-odor test shows. Even those who do not notice any olfactory issues may be impaired.

Led by the National Institutes of Health’s RECOVER initiative and supported by its Clinical Science Core at NYU Langone Health, a team of researchers from across the country explored a link between the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and hyposmia — the reduced ability to smell.

The results revealed that 80% of participants who reported a change in their smelling ability after having COVID-19 earned low scores on a clinical scent-detection test taken about two years later. Of this group, 23% were severely impaired or had entirely lost their sense of smell.

Notably, 66% of infected participants who did not notice any smelling issues scored abnormally low on the evaluation as well, the authors say.

“Our findings confirm that those with a history of COVID-19 may be especially at risk for a weakened sense of smell, an issue that is already underrecognized among the general population,” said study co-lead author Leora Horwitz, MD.

Horwitz, a professor in the Departments of Population Health and Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, adds that 60% of uninfected participants who did not report olfactory problems also tested poorly during the clinical evaluation.

Hyposmia has long been connected to weight loss, reduced quality of life, and depression, among other concerns. Those with a diminished sense of smell may also struggle to detect dangers such as spoiled food, gas leaks, and smoke, experts say. In addition, scientists have flagged smelling dysfunction as an early sign of certain neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, which can affect the brain’s scent-processing region.

While past research has identified hyposmia as a symptom of coronavirus infection, most of these studies have relied on patients’ own assessments of their smelling ability. Such subjective measures are not always reliable and cannot effectively track the problem’s severity and persistence, notes Horwitz.

The new study in 3,535 men and women, publishing online Sept. 25 in the journal JAMA Network Open, is the largest to date to examine loss of smell after COVID-19 by using a formal test, the authors say.

Along with Horwitz, Jacqueline Becker, PhD at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York is co-lead author. Hassan Ashktorab, PhD, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.; Andrea Foulkes, ScD, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; and Joyce Lee-Iannotti, MD, at the University of Arizona in Phoenix, are study co-senior authors.

For the investigation, the research team assessed thousands of Americans who had participated in the RECOVER adult study, a multicenter analysis designed to shed light on the long-term health effects of the coronavirus. Throughout the study, those with and without a history of COVID-19 completed surveys about their symptoms every 90 days from October 2021 through June 2025.

To measure olfactory function, the team used a clinical tool: the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). In this scratch-and-sniff evaluation, which is considered the gold standard of its kind, participants were asked to identify 40 scents by selecting the right multiple-choice option for each odor. A correct answer earned one point, and the total UPSIT score was compared with a database of thousands of healthy volunteers of the same sex and as. Based on the results, smelling ability was characterized as normal, mildly impaired, moderately impaired, severely impaired, or lost altogether.

“These results suggest that health care providers should consider testing for loss of smell as a routine part of post-COVID care,” said Horwitz. “While patients may not notice right away, a dulled nose can have a profound impact on their mental and physical well-being.”

Experts are now exploring ways to restore smelling ability after having COVID-19, such as vitamin A supplementation and olfactory training to “rewire” the brain’s response to odors. Having a deeper understanding of how the coronavirus affects the brain’s sensory and cognitive systems may help refine these therapies, notes Horwitz.

Horwitz cautions that the study team did not directly assess loss of taste, which often accompanies problems with smell. In addition, it is possible that some uninfected participants were misclassified due to the lack of universal testing for the virus. This may help explain the surprisingly high rate of hyposmia identified in those without a supposed history of COVID-19, she says.   

Reference:

Horwitz LI, Becker JH, Huang W, et al. Olfactory Dysfunction After SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the RECOVER Adult Cohort. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(9):e2533815. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.33815.

Punjab: The Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) recently invited applications for PG medical admissions 2025 in the state.

All the interested candidates willing to take admission to MD/MS/PG Diploma, DNB Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine and Six months training in Ultrasonography Courses are advised to take note of all the fees and seat matrix details as mentioned below according to the prospectus issued by the university.

Application Fee:

(i) Admission Application Fee of Rs. 5000 +18% GST (Rs. 5900/-) will be deposited through online payment gateway only. SC candidates will deposit fee of Rs. 2500+18% GST (Rs. 2950).

(ii) Only those Admission Application Forms will be considered for counseling, fee for which has been deposited by due date/time.

(iii) No request for accepting the deposition of application fee shall be considered after due date/time.

(iv) Admission/application fee once deposited in University Account will not be refunded/adjusted in any case. 

ELIGIBILITY / INSTRUCTIONS FOR NRI CANDIDATES

1. The NEET PG qualified candidates who seeks to apply under NRI quota seats, have to obtain provisional Eligibility/equivalency certificate from the BFUHS, Faridkot by appearing physical in the admission branch of BFUHS, Faridkot and will have to apply on prescribed format available on university website alongwith prescribed fee for NRI seats. 

2. For ascertaining the eligibility relevant documents including foreign Country Passport or Green Card or Permanent Resident Card or Proof of Residency of Foreign Country issued by competent authority or OCI/PIO Card issued by the Government of India shall be taken into consideration. 

3. The admission under NRI category shall be strictly according to preference category wise merit as per Punjab Govt. notification/instructions. 

4. The following is the procedure of admission under NRI Category :

(i) Application form for issuing of Eligibility/ Equivalency certificate is available in the Admission Branch BFUHS, Faridkot and can be downloaded from University website.

(ii) Eligibility

* NRI who passed MBBS

* Must have completed internship as per NMC

* Must be qualified- NEET-PG-2025

(iii) Candidate must be registered with MCI /State Medical Council and must have recognition Certificate of MBBS/Equivalent Degree from MCI. 

(iv) After getting Eligibility/ Equivalency certificate, candidate has to apply on prescribed application form upto stipulated period to the University for Counselling for admission to PG Medical Courses under NRI quota in Private colleges.

(v) Fee Structure in Private Colleges:

Fee Structure for NRI candidates:

(a) The student will have to give a bank guarantee/surety bond for the residual fee, if he/she opts to pay the fee in installment as provided.

(b) Selected Candidates will have to deposit full/1st installment of the fee through university website from the foreign NRI account after seat allotment and before joining the allotted college.

(c) If payment made through Demand Draft, Demand Draft should be in favour of Registrar, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, payable at Faridkot. 

(d) The payment should either be in US $ or is drawn from their own or parents NRE account along with bank certificate/statement showing that payment is drawn from candidate or parents account.

(e) The detail of bank account for the NRI candidates who will be selected for admission under NRI quota is as under: 

Beneficiary Name: REGISTRAR Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot

Beneficiary A/c No. 078301005826

Beneficiary Bank: ICICI Bank Faridkot Punjab , India

Swift Code: ICICINBBNRI

IFSC Code: ICIC0000783

Branch Adress: BX5, Balmiki Chowk, Faridkot, 151203

Note: Registration /continuation fee @ 15% of tuition fee will be charged from NRI candidates except Adesh University, Bathinda and SGRD University, Amritsar. 

Seats in MD/MS/PG Diploma courses under NRI quota of various private colleges will be put up on University Website.

5. The following is the fee for getting Eligibility certificate and application fee under NRI Quota:-

a) Fee for getting Eligibility certificate = US $ 1500

b) Application Fee = US $ 1500

c) Application Form fee = Rs.3000/-

d) Eligibility certificate Form fee = Rs. 2500/-

INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING DEPOSITION OF FEE BY PROVISIONALLY SELECTED CANDIDATES IN ONLINE COUNSELLING – FEE AND SPECIALITIES (BASIC/CLINICAL)  

1. The provisionally selected candidates are required to deposit the requisite six months fee through university payment gateway in university account after logging into their login ID account and carry the payment receipt to the respective allotted institute. 

2. The Provisional Selection Slip will be generated only after the confirmation of deposition of fee.

Details of six month fee/minimum fee for 1st year to be collected from the provisionally selected candidates.