Obviously, the coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) is top of mind for a lot of Americans right now. And this particular disease is known for striking the lungs and causing respiratory issues. So, that in turn, begs the question: could those who vape be at a bigger risk for contracting it?
CBS News recently delved into that topic, offering insights from their noted medical specialist Dr. Tara Narula. According to her feedback, the population of U.S. vapers (which consist primarily of teens of young people) could be at a much higher risk for developing the coronavirus due to their compromised lungs.
The issue became such a hot topic that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed it at a recent COVID-19 press conference. This happened to be in reference to a 22-year-old who became infected within the Manhattan area.
“Why is a 22-year-old man stable but hospitalized at this point? The one factor we know of is he is a vaper,” de Blasio said. “So, we don’t know of any preexisting conditions, but we do think the fact that he is a vaper is affecting this situation.”
Dr. Narula echoed de Blasio’s statements during her interview with CBS News. She emphasized that, even though science has proven a direct link, this is as good of a time as any to quit vaping.
“Well, if there was ever a reason to quit, here’s another one,” Dr. Narula added. “Anything that’s going to compromise your lungs is going to increase your risk of being susceptible. We know that smoking decreases your ability to really fight infection.”
In addition, evidence has been shared from China’s coronavirus cases showing a strong link. As we all know, Wuhan is where the virus originated from and those infected did show a propensity towards smoking or vaping. Males happen to be dying there at a much higher rate than females and data has shown that Chinese men engage in smoking/vaping at a much higher rate.
We have been talking about the dangers of vaping for quite some time. And even if this terrible disease wasn’t in play, it has still shown itself to be addictive and extremely damaging to the lungs. So, in this time of crisis, we are strongly encouraging anyone with a vaping issue to please seek out help as soon as possible.
