Following the deterioration in the condition of the Corona bus driver, a heavy hookah smoker, experts warn: "Smoking puts the body and respiratory system in a vulnerable position" • "Smokers become more infected and recover more slowly"

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Does Smoking and Obesity Increase the Risk of Corona Complications? A 38-year-old bus driver, a heavy hookah smoker who drove the Greek pilgrims is the most difficult Corona patient currently in Israel. The driver, a resident of East Jerusalem, is hospitalized while being breathed and put to sleep at Poriah Hospital.

Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon

Many question marks hover around the virus, but it is now known that in 81% of patients the disease is manifested and that the risk of death in adults up to age 50 is about 0.2%. Over the age of 80, this is already 14.8% mortality. Therefore, the situation picture of a relatively young person with no background illnesses raised questions as to why the virus was expressed in a harsh manner. However, the same patient is a heavy hookah smoker, so it is believed that the virus that could cause health damage has actually hit him severely.

"We see people in a large risk group are the smokers. A great opportunity to smoke for those who have not done so until now," said Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Seaman Tov. On Saturday, the Medical Association for the Prevention and Smoking Treatment of the Medical Association was quick to announce: "There is increasing evidence that smokers are at increased risk of complications due to the corona virus infection. Good time to quit smoking. In the event of an emergency in public health, given the special danger to the Corona virus smokers and the expected burden on the health system, it is especially worth trying to quit smoking. "

World data support this hypothesis: A study of 44,000 corona patients in China found that men were more likely to die of the virus (2.8%) than 1.7% among women. Another study of 140 patients in Corona at Wuhan University Hospital found that the virus was likely to harm men with previous health problems. 54% of the study participants were men, whose average age was 56.

Another study from China of about 1,100 corona patients found that the average age of men was 47, and that men accounted for 58% of the time. In their search for common biomarkers, researchers believe that smokers are more susceptible to infection because smokers are more exposed to respiratory disease. A national survey in China in 2010 found that 62% of Chinese men smoked at some point in their lives, compared to 3% of Chinese women.

Michael Ryan, director of the World Health Emergency Program, said "Smoking is an excellent hypothesis explaining why the virus affects Chinese men more than women." Ryan added: "Smoking is a risk for many types of respiratory infections."

British Health Minister Prof. Chris Whitey warned at the congressional Health and Social Affairs Committee meeting that "smokers are more at risk of contracting the corona virus. In most respiratory diseases, we are more concerned about smokers' ability to cope because they are infected faster and the immune system's ability to fight "If you are planning to quit smoking now, this is a great opportunity."

Ehud Abrahamson, founder of the Abrahamson Institute: "Smoking harms the immune system on a regular basis through dozens of toxic substances found in cigarettes. Smoking puts the body and respiratory system in a more vulnerable state, so smokers become more infected with flu and more viral diseases and recover more slowly. Recommend the detox from the urge to smoke daily, increasingly now, in personal and individual care. "

Overweight and obesity are considered risk factors for influenza complications. But does this have a similar effect on the Corona virus? "An older population as well as adults suffering from chronic or obese patients may be at higher risk," says Tom Friedman, former director of the American Center for Disease Control.

Dr. Raz the Redeemer, a specialist in family medicine and director of the Obesity Medical Center, adds: "Obesity is one of the most significant diseases of modern society, and many studies have demonstrated the link between obesity and countless medical problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Cancer, lung disease and more. There is no comprehensive information on the coronary virus morbidity among an overweight population, but obesity is known to adversely affect the immune system, causing worsening of lung, respiratory and asthma functions, which are a coronary complication. Being overweight is an increased risk factor for infectious and viral diseases. For example, we see a high incidence of severe winter flu in people with obesity. Obesity can also aggravate symptoms, duration of recovery and the development of complications of infectious and viral diseases. "