As schools return on March 8th, equipped with temperature checks, face masks, hand sanitizer and lateral flow tests which students will self-administer weekly, will these measures be enough to keep campuses free and clear of the virus? Testing is no doubt the way forward with the under 16s, who are not yet approved for covid-19 vaccination. But what type of testing is most effective and achievable within these everyday circumstances?
An interesting development on the testing front involves the regular assessment of people’s sense of smell, which is considered one of the most common early symptoms of the virus and one which is far more indicative of a covid-19 infection than a fever, which tends to set in a few days later and could be a symptom of a wider range of illnesses. Indeed, the CDC has confirmed that the loss of smell is better associated with covid-19 than any other symptom. Over 80% of asymptomatic people have a partial loss of smell, which a new company called U-Smell-It (backed by Yale University researchers) believes can be detected only by a sensitive olfactory test, one which they are now producing for the mass markets. The U-Smell-It test is essentially a scratch and sniff card, each costing $0.50, which the user can easily use themselves at home and input their findings anonymously into the U-Smell-It app, which then reveals if a meaningful sense of smell has been lost, in which case to follow up with a PCR test. The ease of use and the cost savings versus taking weekly self-administered lateral flow tests - which has an accuracy rate of only 58% when administered by self-trained members of the public – is materially significant and begs investigation as an important prevention mechanism.
Chasing the sense of smell makes sense even if the government doesn’t want to invest in U-Smell-It type of testing cards. The University of Pennsylvania successfully launched in September 2020 an on-campus campaign to contain any potential covid outbreaks by daily tracking its community’s sense of smell at home. The “Stop. Smell. Be well.” campaign urges its community members to reach for coffee beans and shampoo first thing each day to ensure their sense of smell is intact and unchanged. In the event of a change, students and faculty are then provided with follow-up PCR tests. The campaign itself doesn’t cost a penny but rather works to build awareness.
As we prepare to re-emerge together from our homes post-lockdown, surely it makes good sense for our communities to keep track of covid-19’s most telltale sign: the sense of smell.
