COVID-19 and Smoking
Specialist Stop Smoking Advisor, Theresa Thornton, talks about COVID-19 and why smoking puts you more at risk of developing complications from COVID-19.
If you smoke, you are putting yourself and those around you at greater risk of developing severe disease from the COVID-19 virus. Children in particular are affected by second-hand smoke.
Smoking causes damage to the lungs and airways which leads to a range of severe respiratory problems. The evidence clearly shows that the COVID-19 virus attacks the respiratory system, which explains why smokers are at greater risk of developing complications if they contract COVID-19.
Emerging evidence from China shows smokers with COVID-19 are 14 times more likely to develop severe respiratory disease.
In addition, the repetitive hand to mouth movement provides an easy route of entry for the virus, putting smokers at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.
There has never been a more important time to stop smoking. Not only for your own health but to protect those around you.
If you are a smoker and are thinking about quitting please don't let the COVID-19 Pandemic stop you. It is still vitally important that if you want to quit, you should. Smoking harms the immune system and so as a smoker you are less protected against infections like coronavirus.
Smokers are at a greater risk of:
- getting acute respiratory infections
- infections lasting longer
- infections being more serious than it would be for someone who does not smoke
It is never too late to quit, no matter your age. Contact us for a confidential chat on +44 1624 642404 or email quit4you@gov.im
