Introduction

Smoking and COVID-19

Smoking and COVID-19

Today is the Day, If you smoke, now is the time to quit!

If you smoke, quitting will always the best thing you can do to improve your health. However, as the World Health Organization, UK Government, Public Health England and others have said, it is now more important than ever to quit smoking to reduce potential risks from COVID-19 and help protect your health long term.

If you smoke, you generally have an increased risk of contracting respiratory infection and of more severe symptoms once infected. COVID-19 symptoms may, therefore, be more severe if you smoke.  If you are hospitalised with COVID-19 smokers are more likely to die from the infection than never smokers.

Smoking also increases your risk of getting other health problems such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, emphysema and chronic bronchitis at a time when the NHS is under strain from COVID-19.

Quitting smoking is difficult and can take multiple attempts. Evidence shows that you are more likely to quit successfully with support.

For support, advice and free tools to quit smoking contact:

One Small Step

Call 01392 908 139 or e-mail hello@onesmallstep.org.uk or text the word QUIT to the number 60777 (charged at standard text rate).

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