“Smokers may be prone to severe COVID-19 infections, in part, because their lungs contain an abundance of entry points that the virus can exploit.”

“COVID-19 infections begin at the ACE-2 receptor, a protein nestled on the surface of cells throughout the body, including in the upper and lower respiratory tracts.”

“The coronavirus that causes COVID-19, known as SARS-CoV-2, must plug into the ACE2 receptor in order to inject its genetic material into cells, replicate and spread.”

“Now, preliminary research suggests that lungs exposed to cigarette smoke accumulate abnormally large numbers of ACE2 receptors, which may leave the organ vulnerable to damage inflicted by the coronavirus.”

"It has been reported that smokers who get COVID-19 tend to have more severe infections than individuals who aren’t smokers,"

“Mounting evidence suggests that, compared with nonsmokers, people who smoke cigarettes face a higher risk of developing severe complications and dying from COVID-19 infections.”