This means we’re exchanging microbes with a different group of people (and animals) than usual, which could affect our smell. Spending more time indoors can also affect the microbiome, as can wearing different types of clothes — synthetic fabrics can host different kinds of microbes than cotton, for example. And a lot of people have changed their style (if you can call it that anymore) during the pandemic. “When I talk to people, maybe they’re wearing a nice shirt, but now they have jeans or sweatpants on,” Horvath said.

— Vox takes a look at what isolation is doing to our bodies, including how we smell. Read more in The isolation of 2020 is doing weird things to our bodies.