Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Health Ministry’s Department for Medical Examination and Treatment, made the warnings at a press conference on National No Tobacco Week, from May 25 to 31, and World No Tobacco Day (May 31) in Hanoi on May 21.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), smokers have a higher risk of getting coronavirus because they are constantly putting their hands to their lips, said Khue, who is also Director of the ministry’s Tobacco Control Fund.
The use of smoking devices such as water pipes is also among the causes behind the increase of COVID-19 community infections, he added.
The WHO designates May 31 as the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The theme of WNTD 2020 is “Protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use”.
