Is it true that smokers and vegetarians have low risk of covid-19?

The Ministry of Health of union on July 2nd said that smokers are more vulnerable to Covid 19 due the transmission of corona viruses and respiratory infections.

But the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) conducted a Pan India survey where 35 individuals were observed for 3 months while 346 individuals observed for 6 months. The study held that smokers and vegetarians have lower seropositivity which means less vulnerable to Covid 19.

CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research)

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research was established in 1942 and its Parent Institution is the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. They collected almost 10,427 samples from 40 institutions with voluntary participation. The CSIR – Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi found that only 10.14% out of 10,427 samples were infected with coronavirus where smokers and vegetarians showed lower seropositivity.

Serostatus

Serostatus is the test which tells a person about the serological markers. If serological markers are present in the body then it means it’s seropositivity which is vulnerable to Covid 19.

Seronegativity is the evidence that the person is not affected by Covid 19 and serological markers are not present in the body.

We all know about the components of blood – blood cells and plasma. If any antibodies are found in plasma then coronavirus is present in the body while the person is not infected with coronavirus if no antibodies are found.

Who is less vulnerable & more vulnerable?

The conclusion drawn by the study is that individuals with blood group B+ or B- or AB+ or AB- have higher risk of coronavirus infection while O group and A group are less vulnerable to Covid 19.

In the same way, smokers, vegetarians are less vulnerable while non smokers, non vegetarian, security guard, housekeeper, medical staff are more vulnerable to the aforesaid infection. But it doesn’t mean the study was encouraging smoking.