Covid-19: Make smell test mandatory at malls to identify suspects, says B'luru Mayor

Bengaluru: Bengaluru Mayor Goutham Kumar has suggested that people arriving at malls must mandatorily undergo a smell test to identify those possibly infected with coronavirus. The smell test is in addition to the thermal screening and other protocols suggested by the government.

It may be recalled that health ministry had added loss of smell or taste to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

The Mayor said that he would write a letter to Karnataka CM and Health Minister asking them to make smell tests mandatory at malls. People who can’t smell should be tested immediately,” he added.

Meanwhile experts have opined that loss of smell and taste is not specific to COVID-19 but then it could be one of the early signs of the onset of the disease and may help in timely detection and treatment.