THOSE suffering with long Covid have had their sense of smell and taste restored with nasal surgery.

Experts at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) used a technique for correcting blocked nasal passages on patients who have suffered a profound loss of smell after Covid infection.

Researchers believe between 50,000 and 100,000 people in Britain are suffering the effects of smell loss because of long Covid.

A 27-year-old patient in the new UCLH study has had her sense of smell return almost to normal after having the functional septorhinoplasty operation.

Research co-leader Professor Peter Andrews said: “There’s a big group of patients who are still suffering with this problem of smell dysfunction following Covid infection three or four years ago.

“This study has shown impressive results — if we apply the principle of increasing the nasal or olfactory airway, we’re getting a reactivation of the sense of smell and then an improvement.”