Clin Infect Dis
. 2020 Jun 28;ciaa877.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa877. Online ahead of print.
Loss of Smell and Taste Among Healthcare Personnel Screened for Coronavirus 2019
Russell R Kempker 1 , Jordan A Kempker 2 , Marcia Peters 1 , Paulina A Rebolledo 1 3 , Kelley Carroll 2 , Linda Toomer 4 , Yun F Wayne Wang 4 5 , Susan M Ray 1 3 , Mary Hunter 3 6
Affiliations
- PMID: 32743642
- DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa877
Abstract
Among 283 symptomatic healthcare personnel (HCP) tested for SARS-CoV-2, 51 (18%) were positive. Among those 51 HCP, self reported loss of smell and taste were present in 51% and 52.9%, respectively, with either present in 60.8%. These symptoms had high specificity (93% each, 96% for either) for a positive SARS-CoV-2 test.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; healthcare personnel; screening; smell.