Smokers, vapers risk developing severe Covid symptoms

Smokers, vapers risk developing severe Covid symptoms

Tobacco smokers and vapers are vulnerable to contracting Covid-19 and risk hospitalisation following severe symptoms, medical experts said. A recent study by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) on 2,000 Covid-19 patients found that up to 13 per cent of vapers required hospitalisation, more than three times of those who don't smoke. The number was down to 6 per cent among smokers. Dr Umar Majid, specialist respiratory medicine, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain, noted that smokers or vapers had an increased risk of developing more severe Covid-19 symptoms, organ failures or in some cases, even death. "Both smoking and vaping release several harmful chemicals and particles into the lungs that lower the immune response to infections. Covid-19 primarily attacks the lungs. Hence smokers are more likely to get serious lung infections such as pneumonia. They are at greater risk of a complication called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), where the fluid builds up in the tiny air sacs in the lungs. This distress lowers the oxygen supply in our lungs, causing multiple organ failure or even death in some cases." Dr Majid added that smokers and vapers face a high risk for contracting Covid-19 as tobacco use