Cogta Minister Nkosana Dlamini Zuma has been vilified for her insistence that the ban on selling tobacco products was based on scientific evidence. IOL asked an expert to explain the science linking smoking to increased health risks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
There has been much debate about government's continued ban on the sale of vaping and tobacco products. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosana Dlamini Zuma, a qualified medical practitioner, has been vilified for her insistence that the decision was based on scientific evidence. IOL asked an expert to explain the science linking smoking to increased health risks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Smoking has a general effect of interfering with lung immunity and the various defence mechanisms the lung has to protect us.Covid-19 enters cells by attaching to the ACE2 receptor [ A common drug used world-wide to treat hypertension, ACE inhibitors, blocks this receptor, so people may be aware of ACE]. Smoking increases the number of receptors in the lung, making it easier for the virus to attach and to make people sick.
In general, smoking does not increase the RISK of getting Covid-19. However, Covid-19 is acquired by people frequently bringing their hands to their mouths/ faces. So if someone has the virus on their fingers and hands are not washed then the act of smoking will increase their risk. Secondly if people are sharing cigarettes then this is clearly highly risky as an infected person will pass to an uninfected person.
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