What South Africa and India have in common

South Africa and India[1] have both banned the sale of tobacco across their national territory in order to counteract the coronavirus pandemic.

With 2,605 confirmed cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2, South Africa is the African country most affected by the current health crisis.[2]The country has recorded 50 deaths to date.

India, meanwhile, has 13,485 confirmed cases and 488 deaths.

Even though the figures seem to show a lower number of confirmed cases of infection and deaths compared to the United States or France, the situation is nonetheless serious. On the contrary, these figures would be underestimated given the limited screening resources that these emerging countries actually have.[3]. It should also be remembered that health facilities in India or South Africa are not equal to the infrastructure in developed countries. Managing infection rates similar to those in the United States would therefore be a source of certain difficulties in South Africa or India.

In this sense, the initiatives of these governments are exemplary and, of course, to be welcomed. They are indeed aimed at prevention, rather than cure. Covid-19 is a deadly respiratory infection transmitted between humans, by droplets[4], tobacco smoke exhaled by smokers can potentially help spread the virus.

What is more, when smoking, fingers come into contact with the mouth and thus increase the risk of contracting the virus in smokers.[5]. In addition, since coronavirus is a respiratory infection, smokers whose respiratory system is damaged by cigarette smoke are more vulnerable to complications and even the risk of death.