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Parosmia, Explained: The Long-Term COVID-19 Symptom That Makes Food Taste, Smell Rotten

Justin Anderson scoops a helping of Crawfish Monica into a bowl before serving it at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, Sunday, May 8, 2011. (Patrick Semansky/AP)
Justin Anderson scoops a helping of Crawfish Monica into a bowl before serving it at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, Sunday, May 8, 2011. (Patrick Semansky/AP)

You’ve likely heard of long-term symptoms some people experience after getting COVID-19: fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath.

But there’s another long-term symptom that’s not as well known but just as debilitating. It’s called parosmia, a disorder that can make food smell and taste rancid.

Patty Wight of Maine Public Radio reports on this perplexing condition that has a profound impact on people’s lives, but few treatment options.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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