Does COVID-19 Pose Greater Risks to Smokers and Vape Users?

According to foreign media BGR, does the novel coronavirus pose greater risks to smokers or vape users? Currently, there is still limited research on the specific effects of the coronavirus on individuals with these habits. Medical researchers point out that the severity of COVID-19 infection can be partially assessed based on the extent to which the illness progresses from initial cold and flu-like symptoms to pneumonia. In these cases, individuals with lung damage require additional treatment.

Smoking is known to harm the lungs. Reports indicate that Chinese researchers recently found that among COVID-19 patients who tested positive, smokers were 14 times more likely to develop pneumonia compared to non-smokers. Pneumonia caused by the coronavirus is considered a major cause of death among patients who test positive for the virus. If the disease progresses to this extent, lung damage is clearly a major risk multiplier. Smoking, and even vaping, could potentially worsen the situation. However, smoking is not the only risk factor that may be associated with lung disease.

Research on how smoking directly affects lung function is severely lacking, but some health experts believe that smoking can hinder the function of lung cells. If this is indeed the case, then individuals who excessively use vaping devices may also find themselves at increased risk of complications from COVID-19 infection.

At this point, due to the relatively small sample size of infected patients and the lack of in-depth studies, it is difficult for doctors to determine the extent of the impact of smoking or even vaping.