Risks of coronavirus infection for smokers

Everyone is at risk of being infected with novel coronavirus. However, the smokers have a higher risk of infection than the others. This is because they touch their nose and mouth more often. They open masks repeatedly while smoking.

Smokers are three times more likely to have complications than non-smokers after contracting the infection. The mortality rate of these patients is also higher.

With regular smoking, the small cilia in the lungs become inactive. Cilia keeps the lungs healthy by removing dust, germs or cleaning. When these become inactive, any type of germs can enter the lungs. This increases the risk of pneumonia, influenza, tuberculosis as well as coronavirus infection.

In addition, the receptor through which coronavirus enters cells, become more active while smoking. That is why the virus can easily reproduce.

People who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to smoking are more likely to have complications if they are infected with coronavirus. It takes more time for such a patient to recover. After recovering, the illness stays for many days. Smoking also causes changes in the blood vessels. It also a causes complications when infected with coronavirus.

Scientists are still trying to find a definitive answer to the question as to whether coronavirus can spread through smoke exhaled by an infected smoker. However, it has now been proven that the virus can survive in airborne saliva particles for about three hours. Therefore, the risk of coronavirus infection cannot be ruled out by smoking in a closed location.

Apart from that, non-smokers who come in contact with smokers are also affected as secondary smoker. So not only during this pandemic, smokers can become dangerous to their families and the people around them in any situation.

Therefore, smoking must be avoided in order to stay safe from coronavirus infections and complications and to protect people around.

*Mohammad Azizur Rahman is a chest disease specialist and medicine expert. The piece has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat