Following a wave of reports from patients and clinicians about rapid onset smell loss, prominent health organisations across the world have suggested anosmia as an early indicator for the COVID-19 infection, even in the absence of other symptoms.

Scientists worldwide have united in the Global Consortium of Chemosensory Researchers (GCCR) with the goal of rapidly collecting data across geographical and cultural boundaries to investigate the connection between the chemical senses and COVID-19.

Researchers from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (National Centre for Biological Sciences and TIFR-Hyderabad), Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Delhi, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, and the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) are part of a  group of more than 600 clinicians, neurobiologists, data scientists, cognitive scientists, sensory researchers, and technicians from 50 countries.

The GCCR will use data collected in a worldwide survey to assess the correlation between the loss of sense of smell (anosmia) with COVID-19. Data collected intends to provide a worldwide dataset to help clinicians, epidemiologists, and research scientists.

The survey will be translated into more than 20 languages.