"Nose Job": Possible Side Effects of Sars-Cov-2.

Introduction

One of the much-reported effects of SARS-Cov-2, including the effects of so-called long covid, is a change in smell perception, although the underlying causal mechanism is unclear (Brann et al., 2020). The effects of anosmia may be more profound than people appear to be considering, and, furthermore, have sexual implications.

As Jennifer Anniston is reported to have said, “The best smell in the world is that man that you love.” True as that is, the effect of partner smell goes beyond mere pleasure, and anyone with even a passing knowledge of how evolution works, knows that nature does not hand out free lunches.

We know that changes in smell perception, attendant on use of the contraceptive pill can drastically change women’s attraction to their partners (Alvergne & Lummaa, 2010). We have also found that attractive partner smell is a key determinant of sexual response and orgasm intensity (King & Belsky, 2012). While it is disputed exactly what is being signaled by partner smell, it is not in dispute that smell matters, especially to women, whose extra sensitivity to smell (Allen et al., 2016) and 40% (!) extra density of olfactory neural tissue is, presumably, doing something important (Oliveira-Pinto et al., 2014).

It is therefore likely that the effects of covid are going to be seen by sex therapists, marriage guidance counselors, and similar, in the months and years to come.