Doctors in France ask people admitted to hospital whether they smoke. 25% of the French population do smoke but only around 8.5% of those admitted to hospital with covid 19 were smokers. These figures are taken from 11,000 people admitted to hospital in the Paris area.
Their findings are now to be verified in a clinical study using frontline workers, those with covid 19 symptoms and those in intensive care, using nicotine patches.
Apparently a study of 1000 patients in China, where 28% of the population smoke found 12.6% of those with the virus were smokers.
The French are warning people not to start smoking because of the health dangers. However, it would be amazing if the use of nicotine patches proved to be beneficial because, I assume, they must be readily available and relatively cheap.
