An effective self-test to detect COVID-19

Together with NOSE member Monique Smeets, Snitz et al. developed a web-based olfactory screening tool for COVID-19, which relies on users smelling household odorants. Based on data from participants in 134 countries, the authors report that this olfactory self-test can effectively screen for COVID-19.

Using www.smelltracker.org, sensory ratings of over 40 household odorants were collected online from over 10,000 respondents, to evaluate the effetiveness of this odorant-based olfactory screen for Covid-19 detection and understanding the  relation between Covid-19 and smell loss. The tool helped identify infection in the absence of any other symptoms.

The new article was published recently in Nature Communications Medicine: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-022-00095-7