We discuss the implications of possible contagion of COVID-19 through e-cigarette aerosol (ECA) for prevention and mitigation strategies during the current pandemic.
Background: Previous studies have shown that electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users might be more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and could develop more severe symptoms if they contract the disease owing to their impaired immune responses to viral infections.
The study was aimed to mention the epidemiology of smoking in Pakistani COVID-19 infected patients along with the disease severity, oxygen dependency and fatality rate. A cross sectional epidemiological study was carried out on 555 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection.
This analysis tested the hypothesis that current e-cigarette use was associated with an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients seeking medical care. E-cigarette and conventional cigarette use were ascertained using a novel electronic health record tool, and COVID-19 diagnosis was ascertained by a validated institutional registry.
To estimate the association of smoking status with rates of (i) infection, (ii) hospitalization, (iii) disease severity and (iv) mortality from SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 disease.
In England, current smokers and long-term ex-smokers appear to have higher odds of self-reported COVID-19 compared with never smokers in adjusted analyses, but there were no large differences between people who used nicotine replacement therapy or e-cigarettes. Engagement in hand-washing appears to be high, regardless of nicotine or tobacco use. A minority of past-year smokers and current e-cigarette users, respectively, report attempting to quit smoking/vaping due to COVID-19.
© 2022 Smoking Free Pakistan. All Rights Reserved.