TIRUCHY: It is extremely important for smokers to quit the practice after the advent of Covid-19 pandemic, doctors said on the sidelines of the No Smoking Day, which is observed every year on the second Wednesday of March.
Doctors said smokers face more complications and would need more oxygen support than non-smokers if they contract Covid-19.
A Mohamed Hakim, an emergency physician, said, “Smoking is a risk factor for Covid-19, just like obesity. We saw many patients who smoked for 10 to 20 years, facing a lot of difficulty. We classified patients as smokers and non-smokers for treatment. Even passive smokers faced problems during treatment. Youngsters who smoked also got very sick during Covid-19.”
S Suresh, consultant pulmonologist, Gleneagles Global Health City, said, “Smokers generally had moderate to severe Covid-19. Their recovery was slow. We also observed that their chance of developing post-Covid fibrosis was higher. Many smokers had to go in for long-term oxygen therapy and took more time to heal.”