A horrifying COVID-19 side effect makes food taste and smell like garbage - Salon

But a related, rarer and more frightening side effect occurs for some: when taste and smell is finally regained, their food doesn't taste like how they remember it.

"Ever since I've regained my smelling and taste back, I have smelled this smell and tasted this taste that is disgusting and I cannot figure out what it is," explained one person in a story shared by the Covid Parosmia Support TikTok account.

For those who have parosmia, things that once smelled pleasant — like body wash, say — might now smell repulsive.