The state uses federal guidance to add smokers among those covered by the COVID-19 vaccine.Local news

Pennsylvania has followed federal initiative in including smoking among the serious medical conditions currently eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) includes smoking in a category at high risk of serious illness and death for people with certain medical conditions. This category includes cancer, chronic kidney disease, pregnancy and Down’s syndrome.

Cindy Findley, who heads the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force in Pennsylvania, said in a media briefing Tuesday that it was in line with the federal government’s vaccine program.

According to the CDC, an estimated 2.17 million Pennsylvania adults were identified as smokers in 2018.

“Public health experts agree that smoking is associated with an increased severity of illness and death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. To mitigate these increased risks, Pennsylvania The state has chosen to include smoking in its list of medical conditions that put individuals at greater risk, following the CDC’s recommendations, “said Barry Ciccocioppo, COVID spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Maggi Barton, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said that none of the existing medical conditions should take precedence over other medical conditions. Geisinger spokesman Joseph Stender said the hospital system is in the same position.

This week, Pennsylvania expanded Phase 1A of its distribution program to allow anyone over the age of 65 to schedule vaccines. Pregnant women are now eligible with people between the ages of 16 and 64 who have serious medical conditions such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, smoking, and sickle cell disease. I did. This expansion has increased the federal qualified pool to 3.5 million people.

A complete list of qualified individuals by category is available at the following URL: www.health.pa.gov.. There is also a link to help people answer simple quizzes to determine eligibility and an interactive map showing the providers currently participating in the vaccination program.

A newly launched local initiative, the Greater Susquehanna Valley COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, launched the following website this week: Vaccine-gsv.org Hosts information about vaccines, eligibility, and local vaccine providers.

Studies have varied on the relationship between smoking and the increased risk of serious illness caused by COVID-19. This is due to the new evolution of the disease. Given the known health risks of smoking, it is advisable to quit smoking altogether, even if research into the association of the virus is ongoing.

Researchers at UCLA have discovered that the virus blocks “the activity of an immune system messenger protein called interferon.”

“Interferon produces proteins that trigger infected cells to attack the virus, call for additional support from the immune system, and warn uninfected cells to prepare to fight the virus. It plays an important role in the initial immune response. According to a November university press release, tobacco smoke is known to reduce the interferon response in the airways.

Panagis Galiatsatos, a lung disease expert at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, said in a Q & A released in the same month: www.hopkinsmedicine.org He said the relationship between smoking and the coronavirus is still unclear. But what is clear is that smoking “proves a risk factor” for cardiovascular and lung disease and may increase the risk of severe cases of COVID-19, Galiatsatos said.

“Smokers have aggravated cases of COVID-19,” said Galiatsatos. “The lungs, which are at the forefront of the immune system, interact with the environment with each breath.”