Chronicle Editor
Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Correspondent
HEALTH experts have expressed concern over smokers continuing to puff away despite the Covid-19 virus, saying they were at greater risk of needing critical care should they get infected.
Some countries such as South Africa have temporarily banned the sale of cigarettes as part of measures to protect citizens during the pandemic.
Despite health advice on the dangers of smoking, many people continue to smoke, even in public, removing their masks to pull on cigarettes, while some even share smokes, increasing the risk of contracting Covid-19.
Smokers who spoke to Chronicle yesterday were indifferent about the dangers of smoking and the increased Covid-19 risk.
Mr Thulani Jele of Bulawayo’s Pumula South suburb said he preferred to brace for the possibility of being killed by Covid-19 due to smoking, as he could not imagine his life without a pack of cigarettes in his pocket.
“I have been smoking for many years. It’s part of my life and I cannot quit just like that. The craving is just too much. What I can do is cut the number of times I smoke per day. I know there is Covid-19, but I can’t help it,” said Mr Jele.
Another Bulawayo resident, who only identified himself as Sizo, and was selling packaging plastics along Fifth Avenue yesterday said smoking was as good as his food, and he would not quit.
“If I have no relish, I better take a portion of isitshwala and take a puff and then I swallow. That’s how important cigarettes are to me. When I buy grocery, they feature before my top five items which include mealie meal, cooking oil, salt, chunks and kapenta fish. Smoking is my life. Why would I bother living if I do not smoke?” he asked.
Some non-smokers who spoke to Chronicle said they were worried that passive smoking could put them at risk of getting sick if they caught the virus.
Mr Laison Moyo said he feared that he had the lungs of a smoker although he has never smoked in his life, but had been subjected to passive smoking for more than ten years.
“My child smokes a lot, and he has a tendency of smoking indoors. So probably all of us in the house have damaged lungs. I fear for our health if the virus were to visit my household,” he said.
Mpilo Central Hospital Clinical Director and Acting Chief Executive Officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya yesterday said medical evidence had shown that many smokers reacted badly when they got infected by Covd-19, with their health fast deteriorating.
“Cigarettes contain a lot of harmful ingredients such as nicotine and tar, which interfere with the normal defence system of the lungs and in time this affects the respiratory system. A lot of fluids may end up accumulating in the lungs, while some may dry up, with very little space for functional air sacs left.
“Covid-19 which does harm to the respiratory system, will find an already tattered lung and when it also damages lung tissue and affects breathing, the chances of survival for the patients become slim. The lungs will have been stiffened by cigarettes, no longer as elastic and flexible as they should normally be. The virus then eats up the lung tissue, and death is almost certain. The lucky ones will live, but for some, even with state-of-the-art ICU facilities, chances of survival would be slim,” said Prof Ngwenya.
According to the World Health Organisation, smoking is associated with increased severity of disease and death in hospitalised Covid-19 patients. -@andile_tshuma
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