Can the smoke a person breathes out carry the coronavirus?

[MrsVMorgan]

If you were out walking and someone walking past was smoking, even if you remain 2 metres away, if the wind blows some smoke in your direction that you can smell (even if it’s a small amount of the smoke) have you potentially breathed in the virus?

My rational brain is saying, the wind would have dispersed the smoke so even if you smell a wiff, chances are not all of the potential virus particles would have blown your way. And also, if they were well enough to smoke, they clearly either have recovered from the virus or don’t have symptoms.

Irrational part of my brain is worried. Normally not a huge worrier but we have a shielding family member at home so am being extra cautious. Shielding family member only uses the garden, the rest of us haven’t been anywhere except for walks.

What do others think? You’re probably thinking that I need to pull myself together and stop worrying, but I already know I need to do that! I am hoping someone will be able to reassure me.

Not from the smoke, but this is what they mean by airborne. This virus is not fully airborne so it tends to fall to the ground quite quickly. This one you need to be nearby when a person coughs/sneezes so they are 'throwing it at you'

Even the ones that are airborne mostly only work indoors as it tends to get dispersed quickly.

and no it is not daft to worry at all, but in this case you're fine.

I have wondered about this too. The other day a neighbour had visitors (socially distant but I'd have to draw a diagram to explain properly) and I could smell their smoke from 5 houses away. I don't really think it can carry the virus for the reasons LastTrain East gave but I can't stand the smell, none of my other neighbours smoke thankfully.

I just read from daily mail that smokers are less likely to get covid. They think nicotine could actually be beneficial

I thought I'd read that smokers are more likely to get it because they already have lung damage.

No you won't catch COVID.

@CaptainMyCaptain

Not according to this

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/22/french-study-suggests-smokers-at-lower-risk-of-getting-coronavirus

Interesting.

We saw the article yesterday in the French press and had to have a wry smile at the thought of giving non-smoking patients nicotine patches to make them better.

It's like saying will I get an STD if I sit on a public toilet

It's like saying will I get an STD if I sit on a public toilet

Depends on whether you are also having a picnic at the same time.

I actually think the nicotine patch study will turn out to be a red-herring. It's less likely to be due to nicotine in the blood and more about the coating already in the nasal passage, airways and lungs of smokers. I read that in the Chinese study smokers were slightly less likely to catch it, but they had just as bad an outcome in ICU as everyone else. If not worse.

Not yet peer reviewed, but...
www.smh.com.au/national/warning-light-coronavirus-can-last-longer-in-air-than-first-thought-20200420-p54li8.html

An interesting read. Thanks for the link.

I was worrying about this too.

megletthesecond- hopefully the risk is very small and the fact they’re in the open air helps the aerosols disperse!

I know not nice when you realise you are breathing in what someone has possibl exhaled.

Re the nicotine it reduces ARDS risks like vitamin d.

reduces ARDS risks like vitamin d. can you explain what that actually means please. I don't know what ARDS refers to. Not that I'm planning to take up smoking or nicotine patches to protect myself.

Unless they are spitting the smoke out, which is not what you do.

I read that in the Chinese study smokers were slightly less likely to catch it, but they had just as bad an outcome in ICU as everyone else. If not worse.

Which one? This paper looks at 13 Chinese studies as well as data from the US:

www.qeios.com/read/article/561

Smokers are massively and consistently underrepresented in hospitalised covid patients. They found only about 1/4 of the smoking prevalence that would be expected based on population data.

ARDS is I think Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

I'm not sure they know the exact mechanism though, I've read a few different theories.

Thank you. So what part does the vitamin D play?
@Keepdistance do you mean vit d is a risk or that it reduces the risk?

Vitamin d reduces risk of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
Which is what people in icu with covid have. It only has 50/50 survival rates