Thousands of people who have been infected with COVID-19 have reported symptoms of losing smell and taste.
Scientists now are piecing together why this happens.
A new study published Monday in the Nature Genetics Journalsuggests those sensory losses have to do with your body's genes.
The science journal organization explains that people with certain genetic tweaks near the smell-related genes make COVID-induced loss of smell and taste more likely.
The risk factor researchers gave is 11 percent increase in the chance of developing either of these symptoms following a COVID infection.