A report by the "World Health Organization" reveals the link between smoking and the prevention of Coronavirus.
Health experts recently warned that smokers may be more likely to have complications from the Coronavirus (COVID 19), which greatly affects lung function, as smoking causes damage to the lungs.
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What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi cause it. The infection causes inflammation in the air sacs in your lungs, which are called alveoli. The alveoli fill with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe.
Common symptoms include cough, chest pain, fever and breathing difficulty.
Causes of pneumonia
Streptococcus pneumoniae, a type of bacteria, is the most common cause of pneumonia. Legionella pneumophila is the bacterial type that causes pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. Other bacteria types that can cause pneumonia include the bacteria that cause so-called "atypical" pneumonia, Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydophila pneumonia. Haemophilus influenzae is a type of bacteria that can cause pneumonia. It most commonly causes disease in babies and children younger than 5 years of age.
The most common cause of viral pneumonia in adults is the influenza virus. Many different respiratory viruses cause pneumonia in children, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Coronavirus and Smoking
Doctors have warned that smokers are more likely to die if infected with Coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reported that smokers, along with people with diabetes, heart disease or chronic lung disease, are more likely to develop severe complications from the virus.
What are the side-effects of smoking?
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Anxiety & Irritability
You might find yourself a bit on edge if you missed your cigarette break, nicotine withdrawal is responsible for these symptoms. -
Unhealthy teeth
Yellowish or Brownish stains on teeth. Smoking may cause infection or inflammation that can lead to tooth and bone loss. -
Persistent cough
We all know the infamous term "smoker’s cough" is caused by the damage to the airways. -
Heart diseases
Smokers are more likely than others to have heart disease, like a heart attack -
Diabetes complications
Type 2 diabetes worsens more quickly in smokers because smoking increases insulin resistance. -
Blood clotting
Smoke increases blood clotting, which increases the risk of heart and chest attacks. -
Poor vision, and dull sense of smell and taste
Long-term smoking causes vision problems such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. -
Lung Cancer
Smoking is one of the main causes of lung cancer, which in turn is considered one of the most common causes of death. -
Constricted blood vessels
Nicotine causes blood vessels to tighten and restrict blood flow and may cause high blood pressure, which may result in a heart attack.
Reasons behind Coronavirus?
Coronavirus is believed to be from an animal source, and this means that it first developed in animals and then transmitted to humans. Coronavirus was not linked permanently to a specific animal, but researchers believe that transmission of this virus occurred in the open food market in Wuhan, China. For the virus to pass from an infected animal to a person, a person must be in close contact with an infected animal.
But the bad news is that once the Coronavirus develops and reaches humans, the virus can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets, which is the technical name for wet substances that move in the air when coughing or sneezing.
Droplets from a person with coronavirus contain a viral substance, and it can be inhaled by another healthy person through his respiratory system to the trachea and lungs, leading to infection from one person to another.
Is Coronavirus fatal?
The death rate of the Novel Coronavirus varies according to the location, age, the presence of chronic diseases, and the general health condition of the affected person.
Most people infected with the Novel Coronavirus recover at home, some may need hospitalization to fight the virus. For some patients, it is fatal.
Why is smoking a killer?
Smoking affects almost every organ in the body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general.
- Smoking causes about 80% of all deaths due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
- Smoking causes about 90% of all lung cancer deaths.
Passive smoking
Passive smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of tobacco products by non-smokers. This occurs when non-smokers are exposed to tobacco products smoke in an environment, causing them to inhale those smokes in that environment.
Coronavirus Prevention
There is still no vaccine to prevent Coronavirus, so the best way to prevent the disease is to avoid exposure to this virus at all.
The virus is believed to spread mainly from person to person, especially among people who are in close contact with each other (approximately 6 feet / 2 meters), through respiratory droplets that result from an infected person's coughing or sneezing.
Check the latest updates: Coronavirus outbreak map around the world and the number of cases
The link between smoking and Coronavirus - WHO
Smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to COVID-19 as the act of smoking means that fingers (and possibly contaminated cigarettes) are in contact with lips which increases the possibility of transmission of virus from hand to mouth. Smokers may also already have lung disease or reduced lung capacity which would greatly increase the risk of serious illness.
Smoking products such as water pipes often involve the sharing of mouthpieces and hoses, which could facilitate the transmission of COVID-19 in communal and social settings.
Conditions that increase oxygen needs or reduce the ability of the body to use it properly will put patients at higher risk of serious lung conditions such as pneumonia.
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