Smokers are in a risk group during the coronavirus pandemic. They are 16 times more likely to catch the virus than non-smokers, a survey by the Thoracic Society says.
The survey involved 73 coronavirus patients. Many of them were hooked up to a ventilator, but died anyway. The immune system of a smoker is severely weakened and they have less chances to recover then non-smoking people.
Doctors say that smoking makes the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract dense. Cigarettes are also harmful due to their negative impact on the immune system, RIA Novosti news agency reports. Passive smoking is also harmful and can increase the risks of the coronavirus infection, doctors say.