New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday that smoking or vaping can increase the vulnerability of people suffering a “severe illness” if they are infected by the coronavirus, according to Reuters.
“If you are a smoker or a vaper that does make you more vulnerable,” de Blasio said at a press conference on coronavirus. “If you are a smoker or a vaper this is a very good time to stop that habit and we will help you.”
He also noted that older individuals, specifically above the age of 50, with preexisting conditions such as heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes or immune system irregularities are more vulnerable as well.
READ MORE OF OUR BREAKING NEWS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS
YOUR PHONE CAN TELL YOU HOW WELL PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY ARE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING
CAN LYSOL OR CLOROX KILL THE CORONAVIRUS?
IS CORONAVIRUS MORE FATAL TO MEN THAN WOMEN?
CAN YOU GET CORONAVIRUS TWICE?
De Blasio’s remarks following previous reports noting that people above the age of 50 are approximately three times more likely to die from coronavirus than those in their 40s.
A report published by the Translational Lung Cancer in May 2019 also found that in China — which has the largest population of smokers in the world — men are more likely to smoke than women. This report was cited in The New York Times when they found that Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, conditions that are more common in Chinese men than women, were associated with complications associated with a coronavirus infection, explaining why the virus has disproportionately affected older men in China.
SEE MORE ABOUT THE CURRENT CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
NOBEL LAUREATE PREDICTS US WILL HAVE MUCH FASTER CORONAVIRUS RECOVERY THAN EXPECTED
WHO IS DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, AMERICA’S TOP CORONAVIRUS FIGHTER?
THESE ARE THE 6 WAYS THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC COULD END
THE EFFECT OF CORONAVIRUS IS SO EXTREME YOU CAN SEE IT FROM SPACE
HERE ARE THE BEST MAPS TO CHECK OUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
