Record smokers quit during pandemic - 27th July 2020

Over a million smokers in the UK have quit the habit during the Covid-19 pandemic, says the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash). A separate University College London (UCL) study found more people had quit smoking since last June than in any year over the last decade.

Of 10,000 people questioned on smoking in the period from April to June by the study, 7.6% of smokers had quit. Explaining this 30% rise on the annual average, nearly half of those asked stated Covid as one of their considerations. Some mentioned health worries, with others unable to purchase tobacco and social smokers unable to meet with friends.

Data analysed from the Covid Symptom Tracker app from more than 2.4 million participants in the UK support these health fears. Smokers with a positive Covid-19 test were hospitalised at least twice as frequently as non-smokers testing positive. Similarly, in the US, data found 1.8 hospitalised Covid positive smokers died for each non-smoker death.

Some studies suggested that smoking may possibly protect people against coronavirus. They claimed nicotine could block the receptors the virus uses. However, experts have warned against anecdotal evidence. The harm smoking causes is much more damaging than any possible benefits.

Public Health England states that “smoking tobacco is generally associated with an increased risk of developing respiratory viral infections.”

It damages the lungs and harms the immune system. This reduces the body’s ability to fight infections. In addition, repeatedly touching your face increases the risk of viruses entering the body.