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A woman wears a face mask as she waits for a bus in Dublin city. LEAH FARRELL; RollingNews.ie

Loss of taste and smell to be added to list Covid-19 symptoms in Ireland

The Department of Health confirmed the move this evening.

THE SUDDEN LOSS of taste and smell is to be added to the list of symptoms of Covid-19, the Department of Health has confirmed.

The loss of sense of taste, smell or both is known as anosmia and last week it was added to the list of coronavirus symptoms by health authorities in the UK. 

Speaking at a briefing this evening, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan said anosmia has been reported “as a clear feature of this disease” and that the European Centre for Disease Prevention (ECDC) is expected to issue guidance on it tomorrow. 

When this guidance is issued, the Department of Health will add it to the list of symptoms. 

“It’s now a well-described phenomenon internationally, which is why we expect the ECDC to include it in this case definition advice tomorrow,” he said. 

Holohan said there have been reports of anosmia potentially related to Covid-19 in this country but that he couldn’t put an exact figure on the number.

We do know from anecdotal reports that there have been reports of this symptom in this country, but because we haven’t tracked it, we have identified it as part of the case definition, I couldn’t give you numbers on that.

The HSE website lists a number of symptoms of Covid-19, including a cough, a fever and shortness of breath. It advises people with symptoms to self-isolate

The loss of a sense of taste or smell has been identified as far back as late March by researchers as a symptom of Covid-19

Holohan said Irish health experts were aware of this research but that they were awaiting formal guidance from the ECDC. 

We were aware that some, particularly the UK, made this change a week ago but first of all we didn’t have ECDC guidance that suggested this particular change in the way that we’re anticipating tomorrow. But second of all, that was the week in which we were introducing testing of contacts as a new arrangement, which as I said very few countries have got in place. 

“And we were communicating that to GPs and we think it’s important that in making changes, we don’t do a lot of changes all at the same time and create confusion,” he said. 

Asked whether people who experience anosmia should contact a GP, Holohan said they should:

“If you’re worried about your symptoms, we’d encourage you to make contact with your GP and to do that early in the course of your symptoms. We think we can make important gains in early identification of cases and then subsequent contacts by you as an individual reporting your symptoms early.”

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    Mute Paddy Ryan
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    May 28th 2020, 7:20 PM

    They move at some pace, I reported these symptoms,along with a cough nine/ten weeks ago ,was told I didn’t have enough symptoms to be tested . Our country is going bankrupt, and the people who can’t run our health service ,are given free rein. May God help us !

    154
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    Mute Dave Nomates
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    May 28th 2020, 11:04 PM

    Symptoms also include, Believing everything the media frighten you with, Wake up.

    25
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    Mute Dan Moran
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    May 28th 2020, 6:57 PM

    This was my first symptom. 100% of taste and smell for a week before other symptoms. Also the last symptom to recover.

    113
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    Mute Dan Moran
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    May 28th 2020, 6:59 PM

    @Dan Moran: 100% loss of taste and smell I meant to say

    40
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    Mute Glammymammy
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    May 28th 2020, 7:10 PM

    @Dan Moran: how did you test it? Just so we know! Like did you try to smell/taste something strong and you couldn’t get anything at all from it?

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    Mute Jen Gordon
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    May 28th 2020, 7:47 PM

    @Glammymammy: you can’t taste anything. A work colleague microwaved some fish and everyone was going mad … I couldn’t smell it at all

    18
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    Mute Big bad bull
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    May 28th 2020, 7:54 PM

    @Glammymammy: you’ll get a dose of the brown dog barking at the back door too…. you’ll know…..

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    Mute Dan Moran
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    May 28th 2020, 10:21 PM

    @Glammymammy: yep.. I put things like deep heat and vix directly under my nose. Looked like a mad eejit I’d say. I sprayed towels with lynx and perfume..nothing . Tried all strong foods I could think of. 0 smell or taste of anything. Mad a concoction of lemon juice salt pepper and had that out of pure frustration. Nada! Saved money on take aways tho:)

    13
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    Mute Dan Moran
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    May 28th 2020, 10:22 PM

    @Jen Gordon: I drank milk that was gone off and I didn’t notice. Mad stuff

    7
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    Mute Jo H
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    May 29th 2020, 10:05 AM

    @Glammymammy: I lost my sense of smell for around a fortnight a few years ago after a bad vomiting bug, it was one of the strangest, unpleasant and for me frightening (it was sudden and I didn’t know if it would return) sensations . There is definitely no mistaking it, even things you wouldn’t usually notice the smell of, you immediately perceive their absence.

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    Mute Jesus Christ
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    May 28th 2020, 7:32 PM

    Oh the symptoms that have been recognised by other countries for months? What happened there Tony?

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    Mute 8-Bit-Relic
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    May 28th 2020, 7:45 PM

    @Jesus Christ: Well, Simon Harris also introduced just now that a form has to be filled out if you want to enter the country while other countries are already lifting that requirement.

    I would assume that they are just getting old newspapers cheaper.

    68
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    Mute John Egan
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    May 28th 2020, 8:03 PM

    @Jesus Christ: nothing’s happening, we’re the most transparent and honest of countries and we’re the only ones doing everything right compared to everyone else.

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    Mute David Clements
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    May 28th 2020, 8:45 PM

    @Jesus Christ: maybe because they have a sample size high enough and this symptom appeared enough for them to make a CLINICAL DECISION BASED ON MEDICAL EVIDENCE. Maybe. Just freaking maybe.

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    Mute 8-Bit-Relic
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    May 28th 2020, 8:47 PM

    @David Clements: That must be mean countries if they don’t let him look…

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    Mute 8-Bit-Relic
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    May 28th 2020, 7:17 PM

    That was already in the media 2 months ago. I’m wondering how this works. The media is already releasing something…. was that not a confirmed sympton, are we slow or needed the official workflow more clarity on this item?

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    Mute You can call me anything but
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    May 28th 2020, 7:45 PM

    Is there anything that isn’t a symptom anymore

    33
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    Mute Tom Fitzgibbons
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    May 29th 2020, 11:48 AM

    @You can call me anything but: farting?

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    Mute Tiktok
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    May 29th 2020, 12:47 PM

    @You can call me anything but: next headline…. breathing is a symptom of living.

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    Mute Davy
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    May 28th 2020, 9:58 PM

    I’m convinced i had this in December…

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    Mute itzme
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    May 29th 2020, 12:12 AM

    @Davy: I know lots of people who have said the same.

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    Mute The Guy is Here
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    May 28th 2020, 7:20 PM

    Some people lost the sense of taste long before covid-19.

    But that’s none of my business.

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    Mute Coimeádach na hÉireann
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    May 28th 2020, 9:03 PM

    They need to test Leo. That shirtless picnic was pretty tasteless.

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    Mute RO'S
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    May 28th 2020, 7:13 PM

    This is no use, a lot of people think they have taste but they actually don’t! – said Brenda from Clontarf.

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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    May 28th 2020, 9:12 PM

    I’ve just taken off my socks after a round of golf so I’m fine.

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    Mute flamrock
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    May 28th 2020, 10:03 PM

    No taste or smell . ?? Maybe that’s why McDonald’s was so busy…

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    Mute denis daly
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    May 28th 2020, 8:41 PM

    No taste, bad news for fans of rorys stories

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    Mute nelliekel
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    May 29th 2020, 8:36 AM

    A lot have no sense of smell at best of times try been on a 27 bus

    1
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    Mute Desmond Lyons
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    May 29th 2020, 2:40 PM

    @nelliekel: presume you mean ‘being’!

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    Mute Michael Maher
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    May 29th 2020, 6:19 AM

    Smell the bull###

    1
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