In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer talked directly to the youths early this week, as she declared an executive order mandating people to just stay home to prevent COVID-19 from spreading. In her speech, she addressed the young people saying, "I'm talking to you now," as these young individuals are not immune from the infectious illness.
She added, there has been a misconception that when a person is young, he is not vulnerable to COVID-19. She emphasized that "the fact of the matter is," in the United States, severe consequences are seen in younger people in a manner that is not seen in the other parts of the globe.
Additionally, the governor speculated that vaping might have contributed to the factor although this has not yet been proven and studies are currently being made to determine if there is indeed, a link between vaping and COVID-19. Of the total population of Michigan with confirmed COVID-19 cases, 41 percent of the patients have ages ranging from 20 to 49 years old.
This was according to the data which the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released. And, despite the string of injuries that are related to vaping in 2019, the habit is quite famous among the youngsters.
Gov. Whitmer added, she was able to talk to more than "one physician who has made an observation, or, perhaps there is a tiny science, to know exactly if this indeed, is what's happening," and this, she continued, "comprises the respiratory system that makes a person vulnerable to respiratory disease."
ALSO READ:
Doctors' Stance
Beaumont Health pulmonologist, Dr. Samuel Allen said, it's too soon to conclude, what role vaping is portraying in this global pandemic, which, as of this writing, has already infected 423,126 and killed 18,906 people worldwide, according to the live updates of worldmeters.info.
Dr. Allen emphasized that there is no scientific evidence yet, that links vaping with COVID-19.
"First of all," he continued, "it's because vaping itself is still relatively in its infancy." And, while it may be acceptable, as a type of thought-provoking and motivating observation, the medical expert said, there is still zero links in terms of scientific link
However, the pulmonologist explained, someone with lung injury due to vaping, is possible to be severely affected by COVID-19 if compared to someone who does not have any vaping-related lung condition, just as a cigar smoker, a person with diabetes, chronic lung disease, heart disease, or immune suppression would.
Meanwhile, Michigan Medicine pulmonary specialist and University of Michigan professor, Dr. Meilan Han said, while most studies on COVID-19 suggests older people are quire more possible to be confined at a hospital and die of the illness, they definitely know that "there are young individuals in the US" who are clearly going through serious illness, not to mention, are also on ventilators.
Studies Going On
People have been hypothesizing in terms of possible risk factors. However, according to Dr. Han, there is no sufficient published data form the country, and thus, they are "looking to the tiny bits of published information that come out from China."
What they are seeing, the doctor continued, is that among the risk factors appearing is smoking. One study suggests that smoking individuals have a higher risk (of about 24 times more) of severe disease with an infection of the COVID-19 than the nonsmokers.
Dr. Han emphasized that at present, they do not have a lot of data specifically on vaping. However, she continued, there is a reason to possibly theorize that things that lead to lung inflammation such as vaping and smoking might increase (but have yet to be scientifically proven) the risk for COVID-19 and other severe diseases.
Moreover, the University of Michigan's epidemiology and global public health professor, Dr. Arnold Monto staid, any link with vaping, as well as the rate of the youths with serious illness from COVID-19 "is speculation." It may be vaping, he added, "But we don't have a link," and that there is zero data that he knows of and thus, "it is pure speculation."
