Smell test almost as effective as rapid antigens at detecting COVID-19: study

An online tool which guides people how to detect COVID-19 via a simple smell test was 79 per cent effective at identifying the disease, a study has found.

The sniff test's effectiveness puts it close to rapid antigen tests when it comes to detecting the virus.

A peer-reviewed international study led by the Weizmann Institute of Science involved 13,000 participants smelling various things around their home; 462 of those had COVID-19.

A simple smell test has been shown to be effective at detecting COVID-19.

They were asked to rate the smell on its pleasantness and intensity on a scale of one to five.

They then submitted their findings on a website, which determined if they had COVID-19 or not.

Items on the smell list include basil, vinegar, cumin, peanut butter, handsoap and toothpaste.

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The study found the test was good at detecting COVID-19 even in asymptomatic people.

But the study notes the smell test was not created as a way for people to detect COVID-19.

Instead it was used as a data-gathering tool studying the effect of COVID-19 on the human brain.