Vaccinate persons who consume tobacco or alcohol with vow of abstinence: NATA

Persons who smoke and consume alcohol should be given the COVID vaccine first due to the impact of tobacco and alcohol on their immune and respiratory systems on the assurance that they will not consume tobacco or alcohol for up to six months following vaccination, National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Chairman Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa said yesterday.

The NATA Chairman explained that the low immunity of persons who smoke or drink could mean that the desired effects of the COVID vaccine cannot be achieved unless they abstain from the substances for three to six months.

“As the Chairman of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol and a doctor, I have a responsibility to say that a person’s immunity reduces significantly because of smoking or alcohol consumption,” Dr. Rajapaksa said.

He added: “COVID-19 is a global health issue and the vaccination is being provided as a solution to this. In our country, too, the Government is very determined in carrying out a program to provide all persons above the age of 30 with the vaccine.”

The vaccine relies on memory cells and immune response, he explained, which are weak in persons who drink alcohol or smoke.

He went on to explain that 15.8% of persons above the age of 14 smoke, and 19.38% of persons above the age of 14 consume alcohol in the country. In order to reduce tobacco and alcohol consumption further, NATA is currently in the process of introducing regulations to ban smoking in public places in addition to enclosed spaces, as well as the ban of single cigarette sales.