Data suggests little social distancing among smokers

While thousands, if not millions of South African smokers yearn for a pull of a cigarette, others are strongly against the sale of tobacco products.

According to research conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HRSC), South Africa has around eight million smokers. The current ban on the purchase of tobacco products during the lockdown is a crucial element of government’s efforts to reduce the impact of the virus on patients and the healthcare system, taken into account the number of available ventilators and other hospital equipment.

Covid-19 is a fast spreading, primarily respiratory disease and since its outbreak, has brought the importance of lung health to the forefront as well as the dangers of tobacco use. According to Manusha Pillai of the HSRC, tobacco has a range of negative health effects, including lung and heart disease, cancers and stroke.

“With particular reference to Covid-19, smokers are at greater risk due to their already compromised lung health. It is well-known that tobacco use affects the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Since Covid-19 can affect cardiovascular and respiratory systems, the damage caused to the lungs by smoking makes patients more susceptible to both viral and bacterial pulmonary infections,” Pillai said.

Research suggests that people who use tobacco products are more likely to experience severe Covid-19 outcomes and smokers are more likely to be admitted to intensive care units for mechanical ventilation, or die, compared to non-smokers. Pillai added that South Africa needs to implement measures to protect smokers and non-smokers from potential Covid-19 infections and its consequences.

“At current conservative estimations, if even 1% of South Africa’s eight million smokers were infected and 5% of these required ICU or high care facilities, the healthcare system would not be able to cope,” Pillai stated.

The HSRC conducted surveys on the impact of Covid-19 on South Africans and their behavioural patterns during the lockdown. The two surveys investigated South Africans’ knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and practices around to Covid-19 pandemic.

Pillai says the first survey was conducted among over 50 000 people between 27 March and 2 April and the second was conducted among 19 330 people, from 8 to 24 April. Data was benchmarked to the South African national adult population.

Key findings:

Cigarette-buying behaviour

Cigarette-buying was higher in people who had lower confidence in protecting themselves and their families from Covid-19.

Cigarettes and alcohol use behaviours

Social distancing behaviours among cigarette users

Pillai says cigarette buyers were in close physical contact with people outside their homes more often than non-purchasers and therefore, the data indicates that they were not practicing appropriate social distancing. “Social distancing is vital to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Sharing tobacco products like cigarettes or hookah pipes can also increase the risk of Covid-19 transmission in communal and social settings.”

Structural living conditions of smokers

Estimated number of smokers and potential need for ICU

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