- ITV Report
The Health Secretary has been in self-isolation after contracting the virus. Credit: PA
Speaking at the Government’s daily update in Downing Street on Friday , Mr Hancock said: “For me personally, I did lose my sense of taste but it has come back though.
“I can assure people who have lost their sense of taste that the good news is that, in my case, it was not permanent . ”
Researchers at
King’s College London this week published evidence
But England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer said the advice from experts was that such developments should not be considered standard symptoms to watch for.
The advice had been issued to the Government by the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, told the press briefing.
Credit: Pippa Fowles / Crown Copyright / Downing Street
“On the point about loss of taste and smell, we have actually asked our expert advisory committee, Nervtag, to look at this,” Prof Van-Tam, told reporters.
“And there is some anecdotal data in the published domain that there is a proportion of people who do indeed lose their sense of taste and smell .
“However, we have looked at the data there is, in relation to whether that on its own is a symptom that would be important to add to the case definition, and the answer to that from our experts is absolutely not. “
Prof Van-Tam’s comments come after scientists at King’s College, who have been tracking symptoms via their specially-created app, said smell and taste were experienced by the majority of those diagnosed with Covid – .
symptom tracker app. Here’s what it can tell us
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That compared with per cent of those who tested negative, analysis of the data showed. The researchers said the reports of those symptoms were much stronger in predicting a positive Covid – 23 diagnosis than self-reported fever – a symptom Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who remains ill in self-isolation following his initial seven day quarantine , is currently experiencing.
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