Tobacco use, tuberculosis and Covid-19: A lethal triad.

ABSTRACT

Smoking, TB and Covid-19 are high prevalence entities with public health consequences. All three of them have a possible complex interaction at cellular level. Smoking behavior makes it difficult to maintain infection control measures. Smoking is known to increase TB infection and also adversely affect treatment outcomes in TB. There is also upcoming evidence which suggests that smoking and TB increase the risk of severe Covid-19 symptoms. Simple infection control measures like, social distancing, cough etiquette, isolation, hand hygiene, quarantine, use of masks etc. play a pivotal role in prevention of these diseases. There is need of strengthening of the public health policies and incorporation of the Covid-19 safety awareness measures into the various national programmes.