Smoking is also associated with increased development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, a key complication for severe cases of COVID-19.
The Union Ministry for Information and Broadcasting, in a tweet on Tuesday (April 6), issued a stern warning to smokers highlighting the adverse effects of smoking and how it makes individuals vulnerable to Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
In an infographic on Twitter, the ministry pointed out that smoking reduces lung capacity and leads to diseases. It also said that smoking with pipes and vapes may lead to transmission of Covid-19 via hand to mouth along with increasing the chances of higher risk of viral pneumonia.
What the World Health Organization (WHO) says?
Tobacco use may increase the risk of suffering from serious symptoms due to COVID-19 illness. Early research indicates that, compared to non-smokers, having a history of smoking may substantially increase the chance of adverse health outcomes for COVID-19 patients, including being admitted to intensive care, requiring mechanical ventilation and suffering severe health consequences.
The relation between COVID-19 and cardiovascular health is important because tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke are major causes of cardiovascular diseases globally, the WHO says. The effect of COVID-19 on the cardiovascular system could thus make pre-existing cardiovascular conditions worse. Additionally, a weaker cardiovascular system among COVID-19 patients with a history of tobacco use could make such patients more vulnerable to severe symptoms, thereby increasing the risk for those patients.
Smoking is also associated with increased development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, a key complication for severe cases of COVID-19, among people with severe respiratory infections.
Last year also, the Union Health Ministry had pointed out that smoking increases the risk of COVID-19 as the act of smoking means that fingers (and possibly contaminated cigarettes) are in contact with lips which increases the possibility of transmission of the virus from hand to mouth.
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