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Health

Covid smell loss eased by injecting blood cells into the nose

Just three nasal injections of blood cells called platelets helped people whose smell was affected by covid-19 identify new odours

By Carissa Wong

27 January 2025

Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (gold) within a nasal cell

Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (gold) within a nasal cell

BSIP SA/Alamy

People who had lost their sense of smell after catching covid-19 partly regained it following the injection of blood cells called platelets into their noses, which could help to improve their quality of life.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste has been considered a common covid-19 symptom.

“The SARS-CoV-2 virus enters cells in the nose, causing inflammation that can damage neurons,…

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