A NEW ONLINE TOOL MAY HELP PEOPLE DETECT THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 SOONER.

THE LOSS OF TASTE AND SMELL IS ONE OF THE MAIN SIGNS OF THE VIRUS, BUT YOU MAY NOT CONSCIOUSLY NOTICE IT RIGHT AWAY SAYS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FOOD SCIENCE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR YANINA (jah-nina) PEPINO. THE ONLINE SMELL AND TASTE CHALLENGE ASKS USERS TO TRACK THEIR SENSES DAILY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

THE IDEA IS TO TAKE A QUICK SMELL AND TASTE TEST EVERY MORNING WITH YOUR FAVORITE DRINK WHETHER THAT BE COFFEE, JUICE OR SOMETHING ELSE. THE WEB-BASED TOOL TRACKS HOW STRONG YOUR SENSES ARE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THAT WAY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DETECT ANY DRASTIC CHANGES SAYS PEPINO.

IF YOU SEE A DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN YOUR SENSE OF TASTE AND SMELL, THAT COULD BE A SIGN OF COVID SAYS PEPINO, AND MEANS PEOPLE MAY BE ABLE TO QUARANTINE OR SEEK TESTING A LITTLE QUICKER. YOU CAN ACCESS THE TEST AT: RIECH, THAT'S R-I-E-C-H DASH CHECK DOT DE.