NEW DELHI: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the two government bodies, appear to be on different pages when it comes to associating tobacco smoking with risks of developing COVID-19.
In an RTI reply, while the ICMR stated that studies are establishing a connection between smoking and coronavirus, the CSIR claimed that there were no studies as such. "If there is a study that shows smoking contributes to COVID-19. If yes, then provide a copy of that report, and is there a study on how many smokers in the past year have succumbed to coronavirus, if yes, then provide the details about it," activist Aniket Gaurav had asked in his RTI query to the Union Health Ministry last month.
In its response, the Health Ministry transferred the request to the Department of Science and Technology, ICMR, CSIR and NCDC. "There are several studies that have shown that smokers are at increased risk of contracting Covid19 and developing severe forms of the disease," replied the ICMR, attaching an advisory issued by the Health Ministry over 'COVID-19 Pandemic and Tobacco Use in India'.
The CSIR, on the other hand, replied: "There is no study that proves smoking contributes to COVID."
Both these agencies, however, have no record of the mortality of smokers succumbing to COVID-19. "In April, I had come through a story which said that the Bombay High Court was suggesting a temporary ban on the sale of cigarettes and 'bidis' during the pandemic and sought response of the Centre and Maharashtra on it, and inquired about some data related to the matter. That is when I felt the need of filing an RTI plea," said Aniket.
In April, the CSIR had, in fact, had conducted a survey that revealed that smokers and vegetarians were less likely to contract COVID-19 infection.
The survey that suggested smoking could be protective, despite COVID-19 being a respiratory disease, due to its role in increasing the mucous production that may be acting as the first line of defence among the smoking population. "The CSIR and ICMR seem to be on different pages over the issue. They are creating a lot of confusion," Aniket said.