Since the new corona virus is a respiratory infection, it puts people with heart diseases at greater risk.  Those with heart diseases must constantly monitor themselves  regularly and  get checked immediately in case you notice any unusual signs and symptoms. Based on data from numerous countries, many COVID-19 infected patients have also developed heart problems in addition to the respiratory issues, that subsequently led to cardiac arrest.

Smoking  affects the immune system:

People who smoke are at higher risk of respiratory tract (including lung) infections, which puts them in most vulnerable group having higher risk of getting COVID-19. There is growing evidence to suggest that people who smoke are likely to be more severely impacted by COVID-19 if they do become infected, because smoking damages the lungs so that they don’t work as well. For example, lungs naturally produce mucus, but people who smoke have more and thicker mucus that is hard to clean out of the lungs. This mucus clogs the lungs and is prone to becoming infected.

Smoking also affects the immune system, making it harder to fight infection. Exposure to second-hand smoke also damages lungs and depresses the immune system, increasing susceptibility to chest and respiratory infections. It is very important that people who smoke don’t do in presence of a non-smoker. People are indoors mostly these days and chances they might want to smoke in front of a family member especially kids putting them at higher risk of getting COVID-19.

Ideal time to quit tobacco and smoking :

Smokers who develop Covid 19 infection have more complications and greater risk of fatality. Even if a person is not affected by Covid, it is a good time to stop smoking. This improves immunity and can improve lung function within a few months. Apart from reducing risks from Covid, there are many other benefits on the lungs, heart and other parts of the body. People who smoke have the tendency to share the cigarettes with each other which puts them at higher risk of getting infected.

Tobacco use in any form is harmful at any time. In the wake of the ongoing corona virus pandemic gripping the entire world, tobacco use is proving to be more harmful than ever. Using smoking products like cigarettes, bidis, e-cigarettes, hookahs etc. as well as chewing smokeless forms of tobacco like guthkha, khaini, mawa, kharra etc. make the user more prone to infection by the virus.

This may be attributed to:

1. Increased frequency of fingers (which may have been contaminated) touching the face and mouth

2. Contact of smoking products (which may have been contaminated) with the mouth

3. Sharing tobacco products like cigarettes, bidis, e-cigarettes, hookah etc. and social customs of preparing khaini or mawa mixture for others.

4. Higher risk of getting lung and chest infections in general

5. Risk of COVID-19 by elevating enzymes that allow the corona virus to enter and damage lung cells.

Health Experts demand ban tobacco use:

Health experts from the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (the Union) have recently asked the international community to ban use of tobacco. Studies have shown that Smokers are at higher risk of COVID-19. There is overwhelming evidence that people who smoke are at higher risk of getting lung and chest infections, which can be caused by other respiratory viruses (such as influenza) and also bacteria (for instance, tuberculosis.)

This means that it is more likely that people who smoke have a higher risk of getting COVID-19 compared to people who don’t smoke. The emerging evidence has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicating that infected smokers, both past and present, comprised more than 25% of patients who needed mechanical ventilation, were admitted to an intensive care unit, or died

Take this corona challenge for quitting smoking:

A high proportion of smokers, compared to non-smokers, have health conditions like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – COPD (limiting the lung capacity), heart disease and asthma which are further exacerbated by other illnesses. For these smokers, catching the virus increases their risk of developing complications and is potentially fatal. Smokers are at a higher risk of progressing to pneumonia if they contract the virus. Corona virus is known to have severe complications and even higher mortality in people with comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, COPD which are associated with smoking.

Tobacco users (particularly smokeless tobacco users) can be instrumental in spreading the disease through spitting. COVID-19 can spread through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are dispersed when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, exhales or spits. These droplets settle on objects and can survive for few hours or up to several days. Others can be infected by touching these objects or surfaces followed by touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Best time to quit tobacco use:

Thus, use of any tobacco product – smoking or smokeless, increases the risk of being infected, increases the chances of complications and also increases the probability of spread. Considering this, a lot of Indian states have partially or completely banned tobacco use and spitting in public places.  However, this is now the best time to quit tobacco use. Quitting tobacco now will not only help you protect yourself, from the current effects of the corona virus but will also improve your health and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and other tobacco-related illnesses.

Dr Mahantesh R. Charantimath
Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist

Tathagat Heart Hospital at Mallige Medical Centre premises,
No. 31/32, Crescent Road, Bengaluru – 01
Phone : 080- 41410099 | 9900356000
E-mail: mahanteshrc67@gmail.com
http://tathagathearthospital.com/

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 The corona virus pandemic is evolving too rapidly for conclusive evidence to have emerged on the impact of smoking on an individual’s susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. However, there is overwhelming evidence that people who smoke are at higher risk of getting lung and chest infections, which can be caused by other respiratory viruses (such as influenza) and also bacteria (for instance, tuberculosis.) This means that it is more likely that people who smoke have a higher risk of getting COVID-19 compared to people who don’t smoke.

There is growing evidence to suggest that people who smoke are likely to be more severely impacted by COVID-19 if they do become infected, because smoking damages the lungs so that they don’t work as well. For example, lungs naturally produce mucus, but people who smoke have more and thicker mucus that is hard to clean out of the lungs. This mucus clogs the lungs and is prone to becoming infected. Smoking also affects the immune system, making it harder to fight infection.

Dr. Vishal Rao, Member of High Powered Committee on Tobacco Control , (GoK) Says that people who smoke are at higher risk of respiratory tract (including lung) infections, which puts them in most vulnerable group having higher risk of getting COVID-19.” He also added “We do know that exposure to Second-hand smoke also damages lungs and depresses the immune system, increasing susceptibility to chest and respiratory infections. It is very important that people who smoke don’t do in presence of a non-smoker. People are indoors mostly these days and chances they might want to smoke in front of a family member especially kids putting them at higher risk of getting COVID-19”.  

 Speaking on the issue Dr. Prathima Murthy from NIMHANS Says “There is growing evidence that smoking is a risk for Covid 19. Smoking worsens lung function and reduces immunity. Smokers who develop Covid 19 infection have more complications and greater risk of fatality. Even if a person is not affected by Covid, it is a good time to stop smoking. This improves immunity and can improve lung function within a few months. Apart from reducing risks from Covid, there are many other benefits on the lungs, heart and other parts of the body. Quit smoking and all forms of tobacco use now. If you need support to quit, get in touch with a health care provider, call the tobacco quit-line (1800112356)– or give a missed call to the mCessation tobacco service on 011-22901701”.

Maya Annie Elias, Project Lead, Tobacco free Cities, Movement for Alternatives and Youth Awareness (MAYA) said “People who smoke have the tendency to share the cigarettes with each other which puts them at higher risk of getting infected. The vendors defy the law which prohibits sale of loose cigarettes which is also another serious cause of concern. Enforcement officers must ensure that the ban on sale of loose cigarette is immediately enforced.”

It is always a good time to quit smoking! People should take this as 21 day Corona challenge for quitting.

For details contact: Tobacco Free Cities, Movement for Alternatives and Youth Awareness (MAYA),Bangalore Ph: 9972235556

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