Smoking Risks – COVID-19

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

Little research has been done on what impact smoking has on a patient’s risk of contracting COVID-19 and/or their recovery. In an attempt to gather some information and analyze the connection between COVID-19 and smoking habits, the Cleveland Clinic conducted a study on this topic between March 8, 2020 and August 25, 2020. Read the basics of the study below, published in JAMA Network:

“The Cleveland Clinic initiated a COVID-19 registry starting on March 8, 2020 that includes all patients tested for COVID-19 within their system in Ohio and Florida.

Of the 7,102 patients included in the cohort, 6,020 (84.8%) were never smokers, 172 (2.4%) were current smokers, and 910 (12.8%) were former smokers.

The results of the study suggest that cumulative exposure to cigarette smoke is an independent risk factor for hospital admission and death from COVID-19.”


JAMA Intern Med. 2021;181(5):709-711. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.8360

Along with all of the information we currently have on the risks associated with cigarette smoking, this may be the one thing that sends the message. If you are a current smoker, consider a smoking cessation program. If you are a former smoker, stay clean, and if you never smoked, good for you!

Stay well, mask up indoors, and stay tuned!