Smokers Are More Prone to Covid-19

‘Smoking is injurious to health’, we all have heard this statement quite often but do we know what may be the reason for this saying? Let’s dig deep into this!

Smoking is a form of practice of breathing in smoke for pleasure by burning tobacco that eventually goes into your bloodstream. A product rolled with dried leaves of the tobacco plant in the form of a round cylinder called cigarettes is quite popular in the market for smoking and there are also some cultures in the world where smoking is a part of rituals.

The use of tobacco and its related products is of particular concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we all are well aware, Covid-19 is a dreadful disease that spares no single human being if it comes in contact. It is affecting the lungs directly in the covid-19 patients and also many respiratory and cardiovascular problems like difficulty in breathing. Smokers have up to a 50 percent higher chance of developing severe disease and death from COVID-19, so quitting is the best thing smokers can do to lower their risk from this Covid-19, as well as the risk of developing heart diseases and respiratory illnesses.

Reasons for smokers being more prone to Covid-19 are:

• As the act of smoking involves contact of fingers with the lips, which increases the possibility of transmission of coronaviruses from hand to mouth.
• Smoking hookah often involves the sharing of mouth pipes, which could easily facilitate the transmission of the COVID-19 virus in communal and social gatherings and parties.
• COVID-19 is an infectious disease that majorly attacks the lungs. Smoking any kind of tobacco reduces the lung capacity to function properly. As a result, smoking makes lungs function more difficult and also more prone to respiratory diseases and coronavirus.
• In many cases, death has been seen as the major outcome in smokers who have come in close contact with Covid-19. But with proper care and close monitoring, it can be cured too.

Some of the ways to quit smoking:

If you smoke, now is the good time to quit smoking which will be beneficial in the long run. Once you quit smoking your lungs and heart start to work better from the moment you stop. Within 20 minutes of quitting, increased heart rate and blood pressure start to drop.

• Change your routine: Many people consume tea/ coffee/ alcohol while smoking. Identify your irregular patterns and try to keep yourself busy when you usually smoke. For example- call your loved ones or read a book when you get an urge to smoke frequently.
• Keep a positive outlook: Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. It is not so hard to quit smoking if you make up your mind to do it.
• Seek medical help: Many help groups in our country readily help people who are trying to quit smoking.
• Think about the health benefits: Once you quit smoking, your breathing rate will improve rapidly and your lungs start to work more efficiently.
• Eat Vitamin-C rich diet.
• Exercise regularly.
• Be prepared for withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, irritability, and restlessness, and take your doctor’s help, if the situation persists.

Footnote

COVID-19 presents yet another good reason to quit smoking due to the severity of the disease. It will improve the lungs capacity to work more efficiently and also helps to avoid respiratory and heart diseases. Quit smoking and stay fit!