Tobacco Smoking and Risk of Novel Coronavirus Infection

Abstract

Tobacco consumption, specially smoking and waterpipe, affect the lung capacity which may lead to difficulty in breathing, caused by long term harmful effect on cardiovascular and respiratory system leading to elevated risk of various kind of infectious diseases. SARS-CoV-2 infection, which primarily affects the lungs, is found to be associated with severe events in persons who consume tobacco either smokeless or with smoke. Many studies showed that smokers, either current or former, show the severe COVID-19 progression. Yet there is no strong evidence which establishes the link between tobacco smoking and COVID-19. Smoking causes increase in secretory cells of respiratory tract, subsequently increasing ACE-2 expression. Ageing is also associated with a higher expression of ACE-2 gene. This can possibly explain the vulnerability of aged people, smokers and patients with hypertension to coronavirus and also people who consume tobacco, either smokeless or smoke, as a potential vulnerable group for COVID-19.