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Vaping tied to higher risk of COVID-19 in teens

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Teens and young adults who vape are at a significantly higher risk of contracting the coronavirus compared to their peers who do not use e-cigarettes, a new study finds. 

Stanford University researchers surveyed 4,351 teens and young adults from ages 13 to 24 across the U.S.. They answered questions about their vaping habits in the previous 30 days.

Respondents indicated whether they had experienced COVID-19 symptoms, if they had been tested for the virus, and, if so, the test’s outcome. 

Results of the survey showed those who vaped were five times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than their counterparts who did not vape. 

News 8 spoke with Dr. Nadia Krupp, pediatric pulmonologist at IU Health, to get her thoughts about the study, why vaping may make a person more susceptible to the coronavirus as well as what parents and teens need to know about vaping in the times of COVID-19 and beyond.

Click on the video to see the interview.

News 8’s medical reporter, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Gillis, D.Ed., is a classically trained medical physiologist and biobehavioral research scientist. She has been a health, medical and science reporter for over 5 years. Her work has appeared in national media outlets. You can follow her on Instagram @reportergillis and on Facebook @DrMaryGillis.