Covid-19: Smokers safer than others, says a French study

“Smokers seem less likely than non-smokers to fall ill with coronavirus — Nicotine may play an indirect role that makes it harder for the virus to gain to access cells,” a recent report in The Economist said, quoting a study by scientists from France.  As per the much-reported study, nicotine can help in fighting Covid-19.  It has to be borne in mind that the study doesn’t claim that nicotine is a cure to the novel coronavirus.

A report in The Print quoted French researchers as declaring that they are “preparing to launch nicotine patch trials on healthcare workers and Covid-19 patients”.

The biochemistry of the human body was studied by the researchers in coming to the conclusion.  “There is a receptor in the human body that responds to nicotine, and is called nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). These receptors are present in the nervous system, muscle and certain tissues of humans. It is to note that our body functions in lock and key manner, and receptor acts as a key,” says Financial Express, quoting a report on the study, further explaining how the body responds to the interaction between Covid-19 and nicotine.

Critics contend that nicotine can’t be of any help if lungs have already been affected severely, especially in the bodies of chronic smokers.