Virginia governor reveals his long Covid symptoms as he urges vaccinations

Ralph Northam had a mild case in September 2020 that left him with long-lasting effects, including loss of smell and taste

More than a year after testing positive for Covid-19, Virginia's governor, Ralph Northam, is warning about the importance of vaccines and the long-lasting effects of Covid.

After a mild case in September 2020 that felt like a sinus infection, Northam said in a video briefing that he was recovering quickly, and he waited for his sense of smell and taste to return. Instead, his symptoms gained force - when he drinks lemonade, it tastes like gasoline, and sometimes he smells smoke that isn't there. Most of the time, though, he can't smell or taste anything - including potential gas leaks when he restores vintage cars.