Wake Up & Smell The Coffee…To Check For Rona

As COVID-19 cases surge across the country, health experts say people can check for virus symptoms using some parts of their morning routine.

One of the first symptoms people experience after they become infected with COVID is the loss of taste and smell.

Health experts said each morning people can see if they’re losing their sense of smell by taking a whiff of their coffee grounds before making a batch.

“One of the things that can be done pretty easily, pretty objectively by someone at home would be to take some ground coffee and see how far away you can hold it and still smell it,” said Professor of developmental, molecular, and chemical biology at Tufts University School of Medicine James Schwob. “If your nose is not congested and you have trouble recognizing those or other scents that are familiar to you, you might want to call your doctor about getting tested.”

A separate study from Penn State suggests people continuously smell things like coffee, spices and flowers as a way to do a quick check.

Health experts reminded individuals that some people with COVID-19 will keep their sense of smell and taste and just because someone can smell in the moment does not mean they are virus-free.

Via WVLT