Vaping is linked to higher coronavirus risk among young people, according to a study published by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Findings showed that those who had been vaping were five to seven times more likely to be infected with the coronavirus.
“We were surprised,” said Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, professor of pediatrics at Stanford University and the study’s senior author. “We expected to maybe see some relationship .... but certainly not at the odds ratios and the significance that we’re seeing it here.”
The team conducted surveys of over 4,351 participants ages 13 to 24 from all 50 American states, the District of Columbia and three US territories. The study is the first national population-based evaluation at links between vaping and coronavirus in young people.
Results revealed that young people who had ever used e-cigarettes were five times more likely to be contract the coronavirus, while those who had used both e-cigs and regular cigarettes within the previous 30 days were 6.8 times as likely to get Covid-19.
“This is yet another piece showing that e-cigarettes are harmful to our health, period,” said Halpern-Felsher.
High transmission risk
Analysis cites several reasons for the high transmission risk for vaping. According to experts, e-cigarettes can affect lungs and the immune system, making each exposure to the coroanvirus more likely to result in an infection. Halpern-Felsher noted the possibility that the aerosol coming from e-cigarettes could have droplets containing coronavirus. This could then be transmitted to another person or re-inhaled into one’s lungs.
Several vaping social practices reflect high-risk pandemic behavior, such as hand-to-mouth contact and passing e-cigs between friends. Moreover, it is hard to exhale smoke with a mask on.
Experts point out that more studies are needed to elucidate the medical relationship between coronavirus and vaping. However, the risk remains clear, even when variables like race, sex, state Covid-19 rates and observance of shelter-in-place orders are taken into consideration. The team says they hope the study will sway legislators to improve regulations on these devices. The study suggests that vaping is no longer just a personal risk, but also a public health risk.
“Using e-cigs is sort of like the anti-mask,” said Dr. Jonathan Winickoff, professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and MassGeneral Hospital for Children. “If we can control vaping in youth, we’ve gone part of the way in helping curb the pandemic.”
E-cigarettes
Moreover, the study also revealed that participants who used cigarettes and e-cigarettes in the previous 30 days were also almost five times more likely to manifest Covid-19 symptoms like tiredness, fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing.
“I think our findings have a very strong message to health care providers, parents, and teens,” Halpern-Felsher said. “If you are vaping and smoking, this is yet another sign that these products are hurting your body and your lungs.”
An FDA spokesperson said the agency will take a look at the Stanford study. In a statement, the spokesperson stressed that people who smoke cigarettes could be at an increased risk of infection.
“E-cigarette use can expose the lungs to toxic chemicals, but whether those exposures increase the risk of Covid-19 or the severity of Covid-19 outcomes is not known,” the spokesperson said. “However, many e-cigarette users are current or former smokers, and cigarette smoking increases the risk of respiratory infections, including pneumonia. Irrespective of Covid-19, e-cigarettes should never be used by youth, young adults, and pregnant women or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.”
