To wonder why they haven’t said anything about smokers?

[NailsNeedDoing]

It occurred to me, while I was having a cigarette, that I haven’t heard anything about how smokers are affected by covid, which seems a bit odd considering covid is a respiratory illness and we know how bad smoking is for lungs.

We’ve heard about all the other extra risk factors like obesity, age, ethnicity, living in an area of deprivation but unless I’ve missed it, I haven’t heard anything about smokers. Are they just not collecting that data or something?

How much is a packet of 20 fags these days anyway?

Depends on brand but around a tenner for cheapish ones.

I don't know how much a packet of fags are, I smoke roll ups.

@CrotchBurn

A study showed that weirdly smokers seem less at risk of complications and they wondered if it was due to nicotine

Yes, I remember this. In France wasn't it? The first figures from China where men were worse affected made some people believe it was because of smoking, but that was debunked. COPD is definitely a risk factor and that's mainly caused by smoking isn't it?

Its not worth the effort of talking about health risks to smokers- they clearly don't care

covid.joinzoe.com/post/covid-smoking-risk

While more than a third of users reported not feeling physically well during the period of study, current smokers were 14% more likely to develop the classic triad of symptoms suggesting diagnosis of COVID-19: fever, persistent cough and shortness of breath – compared to non-smokers.

Current smokers were also more likely to have a higher symptom burden than non-smokers. Smokers were 29% more likely to report more than five symptoms associated with COVID-19 and 50% more likely to report more than ten. A greater number of symptoms suggested more severe COVID-19.

Additionally, current smokers who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were more than twice as likely as non-smokers to attend hospital.

@Sethy38

"South east commuter town and I can’t recall last time I saw anyone seriously or even moderately overweight. Everyone I know either runs / cycles / weights etc. Yoga is very popular too."

Visit some poorer areas please Sethy.
You don't really think everywhere is like where you live do you?

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I think it's simply because that's given that smokers might be affected worse

I think it's the opposite. When I smoked I hardly ever got colds .Ive heard friends say the same. My theory is that viruses lurk at the back of the throat and nasal passages before making their way deeper. The inhalation of smoke kills them off before they get too far. A bit like that First Defence stuff you can get.

Department of Health hates smokers, that's why they're not mentioning it.

[quote Gwenhwyfar]@Sethy38

"South east commuter town and I can’t recall last time I saw anyone seriously or even moderately overweight. Everyone I know either runs / cycles / weights etc. Yoga is very popular too."

Visit some poorer areas please Sethy.
You don't really think everywhere is like where you live do you?[/quote]
Yes
But previous poster said “UK”
So I wanted to raise that not all of the UK

Department of Health hates smokers, that's why they're not mentioning it.

Stupid really as we're a big help right now funding the NHS

@Frollocks

Protective effects of smoking are thought to be down to nicotine www.cebm.net/covid-19/nicotine-replacement-therapy/ , ongoing trials in France using nicotine patches. Obviously tobacco control aren't thrilled about this so don't tend to talk about it much.

It's great when the sanctimonious dogooders get it wrong.

My theory is that as smokers we have more hand to mouth action going on and so probably come into contact with more viruses and germs than non smokers

Maybe it also has indirect consequences. For example, one of my relatives died of Covid however it wasn't the no.1 thing they died of. They had heart and lung issues from smoking 40 a day over 60 years. They had given up, only after becoming ill with the lung and heart issues.

So, they didn't die as a smoker, but the underlying issues were due to heavy smoking and the Covid finished it off.

@anniegun

Its not worth the effort of talking about health risks to smokers- they clearly don't care

So it's not worth talking about the risk to overweight/obese people either, as they clearly don't care?

Jesus wept

@CrotchBurn

My theory is that as smokers we have more hand to mouth action going on and so probably come into contact with more viruses and germs than non smokers

Also, where I am a mask should be used outside. Smokers obviously take their masks off more often than others.

Department of Health hates smokers, that's why they're not mentioning it

To be fair - they are justified in perhaps not being BFFs with smokers.

"But previous poster said “UK”
So I wanted to raise that not all of the UK"

She obviously meant in general, which is true.

Maybe some the people who would have been hospitalised through covid and smoke are no longer around to end up in hospital?

I never thought about that OP. You'd think they would be mentioning them.

I learnt from this thread that some study showed it prevented some hospitalizations of covid - maybe that's why the UK and USA are doing so bad as they don't smoke as much as continental Europe LOL - joke of course!

[quote userxx]@ArabellaScott Grab me 20 silk cut while you're there will you. Let's burn the masks and light up :)[/quote]
I would, but someone's just pointed out they're a tenner a pack!

Cheaper getting you a wrap of Coke. If it comes in wraps these days, I don't even know anymore.

Anyway, I've been looking for a hobby to pass the time in lockdown; heavy smoking it is.

They spoke about it quite early on. I don't get out of breath unless I'm exercising . Funnily enough I used to get chest infections and really bad coughs every year from nov-feb time, haven't in 3 years now since I lost over 4 stone. I always thought it was down to the smoking but seems like it was more all the excess weight I was carrying around

@CuntAmongstThePigeons

Well I'm a smoker and a londoner, so god knows what my lungs are like. I am super active though and do a lot of exercise.

How do u manage to do loads of exercise as a smoker? Don’t u feel out of breath a fair bit?

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Wasn't there also some talk about trialling nicotine patches to see if they also offered protection?

Anyway, FWIW I believe the report said that smokers were less likely to get Covid, but that if they do their outcomes are worse - so the anti-smoker brigade can heave a sigh of relief after all

I read that they are less likely to catch it and less likely to be hospitalised if they do, but once hospitalised outcomes are worse. Hence the nicotine withdrawal theory and nicotine patch trials.

At least I might get a return on my investment then!

@SomewhatBored - agreed, maybe now is not the best time to quit

I know a then smoker who contracted covid right at the start, within days had multiple blood clots on the lungs, and is now in and out of hospital with long covid. Otherwise healthy before they caught covid. Smokers definitely aren't immune.

@Sparklfairy

Actually maybe our lungs are so lined with tar the virus can't get through to attack them

I jokingly said this to a colleague.

A year ago.

Move over Whitty.