whatever

have you talked to people who've had this symptom? My cousin has lost her taste for 3 months now, does not have a stuffed up nose anymore and is not having "trouble smelling" but has just lost the ability to taste things. It may be related to the same area that's affected in other infections, but for some people it's a notably distinct symptom.

Why assume it's a "fear tactic"? People self-report that they have lost a sense of taste or smell. Do you think that many people are being manipulated to say something that they aren't even experiencing or that's no different from the last time they had a stuffy nose? It doesn't happen to everyone, and it's temporary for most, but some people fully recover except the sense is either changed or lost.