Maybe you are taking all precautions possible to prevent the infection of Covid-19. Maybe you are wearing a mask while in the public, staying socially distant from others and washing your hands often.

But if you are a smoker, have you considered stopping to reduce the risk of getting or having complications from the coronavirus?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that adults of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19.

We don’t know exactly, yet, the correlation between smoking and COVID-19. But this is certain at this time, according to Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC:

• Adults with certain lung or heart-related conditions might be at an increased risk of hospitalization or even death if they contract the virus.
• Smoking-related conditions such as heart disease, COPD and cancer seriously complicate someone’s battle against Covid-19.
• Smoking weakens the immune system, which makes it harder for your body to fight disease.
• If you continue to smoke, you also have a greater risk for respiratory infections like colds and flu. And for those with heart or lung disease caused by smoking, you may be at higher risk of having severe illness from COVID-19.
• Like Covid-19, smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. Some of these harmful and negative effects are immediate.

A study by the University of California San Francisco concluded that smoking significantly worsens COVID-19.

In a meta-analysis that included 11,590 COVID patients, researchers found that among people with the virus, the risk of disease progression in those who currently smoke or previously smoked was nearly double that of non-smokers.

They also found that when the disease worsens, current or former smokers had more acute or critical conditions or death. Overall, smoking was associated with almost a doubling of the risk of disease progressing.

What can you do to lessen your chances? Stop smoking. And we can help.

Johnson Memorial Health joins the Partnership for a Healthier Johnson County on smoking cessation programs.

Quit Now Indiana provides free services and a built-in community of people like you who want to quit tobacco for life. What’s great about the Indiana Tobacco Quitline 1.800.784.8669 is you can quit at your own pace. With professional help and support you can quit for good!

Getting and being healthy already has proven to be another effective way to fight the battle against this pandemic. Snuffing out your cigarettes is a great start.