Evidence strongly indicates that smokers are at a 50% higher risk of contracting and suffering from COVID-19, according to Dr. Heba Gouda, a member of the Tobacco Control Unit at the World Health Organization (WHO), in an interview with the "Science in 5" program presented by Vismita Gupta Smith, broadcasted on the WHO's official website and social media accounts.
**High Mortality Rates**
Dr. Gouda explained that this means smokers are more likely to experience worse symptoms and are at a greater risk of deteriorating to a point that requires hospitalization and potentially admission to intensive care units, where they may need assistance from ventilators. Dr. Gouda warned that ultimately, smokers are more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who have never smoked, as tobacco is known for its numerous harmful effects on human health, including causing heart disease, diabetes, chronic lung diseases, and cancers such as lung cancer.
**Harmful Health Campaigns**
Regarding promotional campaigns aimed at attracting people to smoking, Dr. Gouda stated that the tobacco industry and other sectors involved in the manufacturing and marketing of e-cigarettes have been extremely active during the pandemic and continue to be so. She noted that during lockdowns, for instance, companies marketing tobacco products ensured that consumers continuously received these harmful products through contactless delivery systems and doorstep deliveries. She pointed out that what is particularly concerning about these delivery systems is that those under the legal age, who normally cannot easily purchase these products, have found it easier to obtain them through contactless delivery.
**Discounts and Donations**
Moreover, she mentioned that companies have been offering promotional discounts and adopted the hashtag #StayAtHome on social media for marketing purposes, even claiming that nicotine and tobacco products were good companions for remote work. On a more strategic global level, tobacco companies attempted to appear as part of the solution or to help combat the pandemic by donating ventilators to several countries, in addition to distributing personal protective equipment and masks bearing their logos. Meanwhile, tobacco companies maintained complete silence regarding their responsibility for over eight million tobacco-related deaths each year.
**Immediate and Long-term Benefits**
However, concerning the benefits experienced by those who quit smoking, Dr. Gouda stated that the advantages to the human body from quitting smoking and tobacco use are nearly instantaneous. Within 20 minutes of the last cigarette smoked, heart rate and blood pressure improve. Within 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood decrease to normal. Between two weeks and 12 weeks, improvements in lung function and circulation can be expected. In fact, within one to four years of quitting smoking, the risk of death decreases by 50%. Therefore, the best time to quit is now.
COVID-19 has resulted in at least 4,539,397 deaths worldwide since the WHO office in China reported the emergence of the disease at the end of December 2019. At least 218,966,150 people have been confirmed infected with the virus since its onset, with the vast majority recovering, although some continued to experience symptoms for weeks or even months. Based on recent reports, the countries that have recorded the highest number of daily deaths are the United States, followed by Mexico and then Russia.
