Tracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy

Abstract Web search tools are widely used by the general public to obtain health-related information, and analysis of search data is often suggested for public health monitoring. We analyzed popularity of searches related to smell loss and taste loss, recently listed as symptoms of COVID-19. Searche...

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Autores principales:	Kim Asseo, Fabrizio Fierro, Yuli Slavutsky, Johannes Frasnelli, Masha Y. Niv
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2020
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/990185c808b1440cb4814702f131ee30
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:990185c808b1440cb4814702f131ee302021-12-02T11:41:08ZTracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy10.1038/s41598-020-77316-32045-2322https://doaj.org/article/990185c808b1440cb4814702f131ee302020-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-77316-3https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Web search tools are widely used by the general public to obtain health-related information, and analysis of search data is often suggested for public health monitoring. We analyzed popularity of searches related to smell loss and taste loss, recently listed as symptoms of COVID-19. Searches on sight loss and hearing loss, which are not considered as COVID-19 symptoms, were used as control. Google Trends results per region in Italy or state in the US were compared to COVID-19 incidence in the corresponding geographical areas. The COVID-19 incidence did not correlate with searches for non-symptoms, but in some weeks had high correlation with taste and smell loss searches, which also correlated with each other. Correlation of the sensory symptoms with new COVID-19 cases for each country as a whole was high at some time points, but decreased (Italy) or dramatically fluctuated over time (US). Smell loss searches correlated with the incidence of media reports in the US. Our results show that popularity of symptom searches is not reliable for pandemic monitoring. Awareness of this limitation is important during the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to spread and to exhibit new clinical manifestations, and for potential future health threats.Kim AsseoFabrizio FierroYuli SlavutskyJohannes FrasnelliMasha Y. NivNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2020)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Kim Asseo Fabrizio Fierro Yuli Slavutsky Johannes Frasnelli Masha Y. Niv Tracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy
description	Abstract Web search tools are widely used by the general public to obtain health-related information, and analysis of search data is often suggested for public health monitoring. We analyzed popularity of searches related to smell loss and taste loss, recently listed as symptoms of COVID-19. Searches on sight loss and hearing loss, which are not considered as COVID-19 symptoms, were used as control. Google Trends results per region in Italy or state in the US were compared to COVID-19 incidence in the corresponding geographical areas. The COVID-19 incidence did not correlate with searches for non-symptoms, but in some weeks had high correlation with taste and smell loss searches, which also correlated with each other. Correlation of the sensory symptoms with new COVID-19 cases for each country as a whole was high at some time points, but decreased (Italy) or dramatically fluctuated over time (US). Smell loss searches correlated with the incidence of media reports in the US. Our results show that popularity of symptom searches is not reliable for pandemic monitoring. Awareness of this limitation is important during the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to spread and to exhibit new clinical manifestations, and for potential future health threats.
format	article
author	Kim Asseo Fabrizio Fierro Yuli Slavutsky Johannes Frasnelli Masha Y. Niv
author_facet	Kim Asseo Fabrizio Fierro Yuli Slavutsky Johannes Frasnelli Masha Y. Niv
author_sort	Kim Asseo
title	Tracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy
title_short	Tracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy
title_full	Tracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy
title_fullStr	Tracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy
title_full_unstemmed	Tracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy
title_sort	tracking covid-19 using taste and smell loss google searches is not a reliable strategy
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2020
url	https://doaj.org/article/990185c808b1440cb4814702f131ee30
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Tracking COVID-19 using taste and smell loss Google searches is not a reliable strategy

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