Smoking as a COVID-19 Infection Factor... Doubles the Risk of Severe Illness (Update)

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The health authorities emphasized that smoking affects infection and severity of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), calling it an "important risk factor that cannot be overlooked."

Lee Sang-won, Crisis Response Analyst at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said at a regular briefing held on the 22nd at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in Osong, Chungbuk, "Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has already classified smoking as a risk factor affecting COVID-19 infection and severity, this fact is not well known."

According to the health authorities, smoking damages lung function and immune function, thereby determining whether one becomes infected with COVID-19 and the severity after infection.

The analyst explained, "Smokers may have less resistance to the coronavirus invading the body," adding, "In fact, according to the WHO, the risk of severe COVID-19 due to smoking is more than twice as high."

Bringing hands close to the face while smoking is another risk factor. The analyst said, "If contaminated hands come into contact with the respiratory tract, the virus can easily invade through breathing via the mouth during smoking." He also warned, "In smoking rooms, the risk of infection increases further due to the enclosed nature of the space."

He appealed, "Although the analysis is not yet complete, current investigation results judge smoking as a risk factor that cannot be overlooked. We urge everyone to actively participate in quitting smoking even now."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.