It has been over 2 years since the breakout of COVID-19, this highly contagious respiratory infection disease totally turned our world upside-down. Our daily life has been tremendously influenced by the COVID-19, since it is a highly contagious respiratory infection disease transmitted from person to person, you’ll need to be rather cautious when you go to public areas, like sterilizing your hands before you put something into your mouth, and most importantly wearing a mask when you are in public areas. But as a responsible guide for vapers, it is important for us to let you know what vaping or smoking will do to our body during the COVID-19 period. Consequently here comes our topic: Do smoking or vaping increase the possibility of being contracted with the virus or make the symptoms severe?

According to WHO(World Health Organization), smokers and vapers(use e-cigarettes, water pipes, Bidis, cigars, heated tobacco products) more likely contract the COVID-19 because the act of smoking or vaping involves fingers(maybe contaminated tobacco) which will touch your lips and significantly increase the possibility that the germs have the access to your mouth then your body. Therefore from this prospective it is all about the hygiene, like I mentioned above, sterilize your hands and things before you eat, drink, smoke, and vape.

As we know that COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory infection disease transmitted from person to person; Smoking causes damage to the lungs and airways and harms the immune system, therefore reducing your ability to fight infection. Smoking is also very harmful to the cardiovascular system, which has many negative impacts on health including increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Though much more is to be revealed about the relationship between smoking and the coronavirus, there’s plenty we know now: Smoking is a proven risk factor for cardiovascular disease and lung disease, including lung cancer, which - along with other factors - can put you at higher risk for a severe case of COVID-19. Stopping smoking will bring immediate benefits to your respiratory and cardiovascular health, including if you have an existing smoking-related disease.(Source GOV.UK)

Therefore quitting smoking not only benefits your overall body immune system but also decrease risk of contracting respiratory infection and of more severe symptoms once infected. There are many supports available to help you to abstain from smoking and getting the right support can boost your chances of success by up to 3 times. Options include stop smoking aids (prescription tablets, nicotine replacement therapies and e-cigarettes, also called vapes), digital tools such as the NHS smokefree app, and expert help from your local stop smoking service. E-cigarettes (vapes) can be an effective aid to stopping smoking and staying smokefree. The evidence on the health risks of e-cigarettes is still developing, however, it’s clear that vaping is far less harmful than smoking.

Vaping can be an effective way to quitting smoking and staying smokefree. The evidence on the health risks of e-cigarettes is still developing, nevertheless, it’s clear that vaping is far less harmful than smoking.

However, does vaping increase the possibility of being contracted with the virus or make the symptoms severe? It is possible. One study tested more than 4,300 young people for the coronavirus and found that those who vaped regularly were five to seven times more likely to test positive. There is evidence that vaping harms the lungs, which might increase the risk of coronavirus infection or a more serious case of COVID-19.(Source Hopkins Medicine)

What’s more, it is more likely for a sharing mouthpiece of Shisha vape that could increase the risk of contracting corona-virus. Hence avoid using a sharing mouthpiece of Shisha vape if you are a vaper. Making sure all of your vaping devices and hands are sterilized before vaping.

People who is exposed to the secondhand tobacco smoke also tend to at increased risk of harm to lung and heart. The risk is even higher if children are under secondhand tobacco smoke environment because their body functions and immune system are not well-developed. However, there is no direct evidence that shows breathing in the secondhand smoking and vaping would lead to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. As always smokers and vapers should avoid exposing others to secondhand smoking and vapour out of moral and healthy concerns.