A LOSS or changed sense of taste or smell are to be added to the NHS coronavirus symptoms list, weeks after experts first raised concerns that Covid-19 cases are being missed.

Anyone suffering loss of taste or smell, or a noticeable change, should now self-isolate for seven days to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.

- Does it apply to Wales?

The change applies to Wales - as well as the rest of the UK.

In a joint statement the UK’s chief medical officers, Dr Frank Atherton (Wales), Dr Michael McBride (Northern Ireland), Dr Gregor Smith (Scotland) and Professor Chris Whitty (England) said: “From today, all individuals should self-isolate if they develop a new continuous cough or fever or anosmia.

“Anosmia is the loss or a change in your normal sense of smell. It can also affect your sense of taste as the two are closely linked.

“We have been closely monitoring the emerging data and evidence on Covid-19 and after thorough consideration, we are now confident enough to recommend this new measure.

“The individual’s household should also self-isolate for 14 days as per the current guidelines and the individual should stay at home for seven days, or longer if they still have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell or taste.”

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- What if I lose a sense of smell or taste?

You should now self-isolate for seven days.

If the symptomatic person lives with others, they should stay at home for seven days, while all other household members should stay home for 14 days even if they do not have symptoms.

- Hasn't this been listed as a symptom eslewhere?

Yes.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) listed loss of smell and taste as “less common symptoms” several weeks ago and other countries, including the US, added the symptom.

On Monday, England’s deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said people should now watch out for a “loss of or change in your normal” sense of smell or taste.

He said it had been known for a while that people were reporting loss of smell and taste as symptoms but advisers had need to look at in detail.

He said the science around it had been difficult, adding that there had been variables around how common the symptom is.

He said there were some cases where the symptom appeared early on “but in many cases, it does not appear early”.

He said it was unclear whether or not loss of sense of taste and smell was acquired prior to other Covid-19 symptoms.