Your questions, answered If I smoke, vape or use nicotine, do I have a high risk of contracting the coronavirus or developing severe illness? Cigarette smoking has been linked with cancer, heart disease and stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 480,000 deaths a year are caused by smoking. Research has shown that smokers who are diagnosed with covid-19 are more likely to have a bad outcome. But paradoxically, research has also suggested that smokers are less likely than nonsmokers to get covid-19 in the first place. "There are several studies that would suggest that people who indulge in those behaviors are less likely to contract covid-19, but once they do get it, they do worse," according to Robert M. Reed, a pulmonologist and director of the Lung Transplant Program at the University of Maryland Medical Center. One reason could be nicotine suppresses ACE2 receptors, enzymes that provide an entry point for the virus to enter the body. "Smoking fundamentally alters your immune system in a way that's not beneficial from a global lung perspective, but it makes some people less susceptible to covid," Reed said. A 2021 study of 1,688 Navy crew members during a coronavirus outbreak found a significantly lower risk of developing a coronavirus infection in current smokers compared with former or nonsmokers. The researchers warned that "smoking should not be considered as efficient protection against covid-19." Reed also emphasized being wary about these data because the research is so preliminary. "At its core, smoking is not good for you and your chances of dying from covid go up if you're a smoker," Reed said. "Even if there is less of a chance of actually getting any infection with covid because of smoking, it is offset by the severity of the disease you get once you get infected." |
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