Risk of severe Covid among tobacco smokers higher: Experts

JAIPUR: Smokers have a higher risk of getting serious symptoms due to Covid, say health experts while encouraging them to quit smoking on World No Tobacco Day (WNTD).

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot and health minister Raghu Sharma, through a video conferencing, will address state’s auxillary nurse midwives, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, swasthya mitra and panchayati raj institutions making them aware about ill-effects of tobacco and for encouraging people to quite tobacco.

In the state, there has been a 5.6 per cent dip in the prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco by 4.8 per cent. The prevalence of any tobacco use has also significantly decreased by 7.6 per cent from 32.3 per cent in GATS-1 to 24.7per cent in GATS-2.

“Its always easier not to start tobacco consumption, than quit it,” said Dr Virendra Singh, pulmonologist at a private hospital, who added that in risk of death due to Covid is higher among tobacco users.

Rajasthan has witnessed more reduction among tobacco users than the national average. While there is a 6 per cent decrease in tobacco users, in the state, it is 7.6 per cent.

“We are encouraging people to quit tobacco in Covid times by emphasising that tobacco users enhances risk of spread of the virus,” said Dr Pawan Singhal, professor (ENT), Sawai Man Singh Medical College, who has been working for tobacco control in the state.

“We are creating awareness that if a smoker gets Covid infection, he may fall severely ill and chances of heart attack and chronic lung diseases including lung cancer are quite high. Also, Covid may cause thrombosis (blot clotting), but among smokers, chances of thrombosis are even higher,” said Dr Singhal.

Even WHO has also pointed out that smokers face a 40-50% higher risk of developing severe disease and death from Covid.“In people who smoke tobacco regularly, their lungs become weak and when they get infected with Covid, they may develop severe symptoms,” said Dr Vikas Pilaniya, consultant pulmonary diseases at a private hospital.

Doctors pointed out that Covid affects different functioning of body, but in most of the patients, it affects lungs and by HRCT, Covid pneumonia can be diagnosed. Smoking also affects lungs, which is why, doctors are advising people who smoke to quit the habit.

BOX:

WHO says:

Smokers have up to a 50% higher risk of developing severe diseases and deaths from Covid

Quitting is the best thing smokers can do to lower their risk from coronavirus

Quitting smoking also reduces the risk of developing cancers, heart disease and respiratory illnesses

Centre’s Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)-2 shows that prevalence of tobacco use among persons aged 15-17 years decreased from 10.5 per cent in GATS 1 to 7.1 per cent in GATS 2 in 10 years in Rajasthan

GATS-2 shows that 44.3 per cent smokers attempted to quit in last 12 months. Besides, 44.8 per cent smokers advised to quit by healthcare provider.