IU Health suggests people quit smoking to avoid increased complications from contracting the coronavirus, World Health Organization research shows.
“I encourage people to take the time to quit now,” said Patricia Colon, community health tobacco prevention coordinator, in a Wednesday press release.
According to the WHO, smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to COVID-19 because their fingers and possibly contaminated cigarettes come in contact with their lips. Smokers also may already have lung disease or reduced lung capacity, which could increase the risk of severity.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website lists smoking as a recognized risk factor for severe outcomes from respiratory infections. Smoking has been linked to health conditions such as heart disease, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, all of which increase the risk of hospitalization and death from the coronavirus, according to the CDC.
Vapings’ effects on the virus are unknown, but the Food and Drug Administration announced smoking cigarettes can create a more severe case for users, according to Bloomberg News. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, wrote in a blog post that people who vape or smoke marijuana might also be at risk.
IU Health suggests people turn to QuitNowIndiana.com if they are interested in quitting smoking, according to the release. People who want to stop vaping can enroll in Truth Initiative’s This is Quitting text messaging program.
IU Health also offers its own tobacco and vaping cessation programs.
Other recommendations IU Health provides for maintaining overall health include eating healthy, exercising and getting sleep.
