Smoking harms the immune system, reducing the body’s natural protection against infections, like coronavirus.
As stated by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock MP earlier this week:
It is abundantly clear from the research into previous coronaviruses that smoking makes the impact of a coronavirus worse.
Smoking harm the immune system, reducing the bodies’ natural protection against infections, like coronavirus. Smokers are therefore at greater risk of:
- getting acute respiratory infections
- the infection lasting longer
- the infection being more serious than it would be for someone who does not smoke
These risks are also greater for people exposed to secondhand smoke, including children. It is therefore important to be sharing clear messages about the need to not smoke in the home.
Advice to smokers about coronavirus
Quitting smoking is an important way for individuals to reduce their risk from coronavirus.
Smoking increases the risk of lung infections. Smokers are twice as likely to get pneumonia and five times more likely to get flu than non-smokers.
Quitting smoking rapidly reduces your risk of other health problems such as a heart attack or a stroke. It is especially important to prevent these problems, at a time like now, when health systems are going to come under strain. #QuitforCovid