Smokers Up to 80% More Likely to Get Severe COVID Complications, Says UK Study

• Smokers are up to 80% more likely to have severe health complications if exposed to the coronavirus, one study suggests
• Research published by a group of Oxford professors has confirmed suspicions, with reports suggesting smokers are also more likely to die from the disease
• At the moment, one in three SA men and one in 14 women smoke cigarettes regularly

A recent study suggests smokers are 60%-80% more likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid-19 complications and are also more likely to die from the disease.

Ground-breaking research by Dr Ashley Clift at the University of Oxford confirmed the suspicions of scientists after pools of participants were examined. Using GP health records, Covid-19 test results, hospital admissions data and death certificates researchers were able to identify the links between the severity of COVID-19 cases and smoking.

Read also

Peaceful anti vax protest turns into squabble with police, 2 arrested: "Plague rats"

Compared with those who had never smoked, current smokers were 80% more likely to be admitted to hospital and much more likely to die if they ever became infected, The Guardian reports.

The findings contradict an earlier academic study that aimed to prove smokers were less susceptible to the effects of the virus. However, the findings were later retracted after it was discovered that some of the paper’s authors had financial links to the tobacco industry.

Nearly one in three SA men and one in 14 women smoke cigarettes regularly, according to the Tobacco Control Data Initiative dashboard, TimesLive reports.

YouTube is putting an end to vaccine misinformation, removes anti-vax content

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that YouTube is stepping in to do its part in making sure that vaccine misinformation is removed from its platform.

Read also

Religious woman refuses Covid vaccine but accepts kidney transplant, causes uproar

The video company is planning to remove all videos that are spreading incorrect information about proven vaccines. The scope is not just limited to Covid 19 vaccines but all other vaccines that have been proven scientifically and given approval by the World Health Organization.

YouTube will also make the bold move of removing YouTube channels of some of the most popular anti-vaxxer content creators.

This move comes after social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have been criticised for not doing enough to curb the spread of anti-vax rhetoric on their platforms, according to a report by News24.

YouTubers such as Joseph Mercola, Sherri Tenpenny and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have had their channels removed for being in violation of the company's Covid 19 policies.

According to eNCA, YouTube has removed approximately 130 000 videos in the past year alone for violating its policies. While YouTube's move might be commendable, the company has received some global backlash for its decision.

Read also

Explainer: Vaccine certificates, how it works and what it means for Mzansi

Russia has threatened to block YouTube in its country following the removal of a Russian state broadcaster from the platform for being in contravention of its policies.

YouTube joins Facebook that took a stand in August and removed a network of anti-vaccine influencers campaign linked to a Russian company. The company removed over 300 accounts on Facebook and Instagram that were linked to the anti-vax network.

Source: Briefly News