A recent clinical trial has shown that the antiviral drug ensitrelvir can shorten the duration of two common symptoms of COVID-19: loss of smell and taste. This medication is unique in that it is not reserved only for high-risk individuals, unlike other COVID-19 treatments. In Japan, where the drug has received emergency approval, it is available to individuals with mild to moderate symptoms, regardless of their risk factors. The drug’s developer, Shionogi, is continuing to conduct trials, and it has not yet been approved outside of Japan. It is important to note that smell and taste problems are less prevalent now than they were at the early stages of the pandemic.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03244-7