Teenagers who vape are five times more likely to catch Covid-19, according to new research. And the risk soars almost seven-fold if they also use conventional cigarettes.
Both forms of smoking weaken the lungs, warn scientists. The study is the first to look at the link between the devices and coronavirus cases in young people using population-based data collected during the pandemic.
Lead author Dr Shivani Mathur Gaiha said: "They may believe their age protects them or they will not experience symptoms but the data show this isn't true among those who vape. "This study tells us pretty clearly youths using vapes or are using e-cigarettes and cigarettes are at elevated risk.