Cigarette smoking increases the likelihood of neocoronavirus infection and increases the mortality rate following neocoronavirus infection.
The increased risk of neocoronavirus infection from smoking may be related to touching the butt of a cigarette with the hand during smoking, which can carry the virus into the body through the mouth and thus increase the risk of infection. The inability to wear a mask during smoking further increases the risk of respiratory infection. Long-term smokers have poorer respiratory barriers and are more susceptible to infection with the new coronavirus.
Long-term smokers have poorer lung function than non-smokers, so the inflammation of the lungs after infection with the new coronavirus tends to be heavier than that of non-smokers. According to overseas studies, the hospitalization rate of smokers infected with the new coronavirus is 60-80% higher than that of non-smokers, and the mortality rate is about 3.8% higher.