James Schwob, a professor of developmental, molecular, and chemical biology at Tufts University School of Medicine, explained in an interview published by the university that sniffing coffee can help people predict whether they have Covid-19 or not.

This comes as previous studies have claimed loss of smell and taste as one of the most pointing symptoms of the coronavirus.

“We have long known that people can lose their sense of smell after other viral infections, such as the flu, but the percentage of people who have had this problem with Covid-19 is quite remarkable,” said Schwob.

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Schwob, however, specifically suggested whiffing coffee as a way to judge the loss of smell. “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,” he said.

“Or do the same with rubbing alcohol or your shampoo. If your nose is not congested and you have trouble recognising those or other scents that are familiar to you, you might want to call your doctor about getting tested,” he further added.

The study mentioned that this symptom is not related to the usual “stuffy nose” that goes along with a cold, but an inability to process scent even when someone is not congested. People have reported that not being able to smell their own perfume or finding no aroma in their cup of mint tea was the first clue that they might be infected.

Another report published in Daily Coffee News suggested that their own “review of scientific literature and anecdotal advice from scholars of taste and smell shows dozens of examples of coffee being used as the barometer for a kind of sniff-test for Covid-19, in part for its distinct smell and also for its broad global availability in homes.”

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