The only problem is that the findings of the study were not accurately summed up by these headlines .
The study used a mathematical model to calculate the risk of aerial transmission of COVID-19 and other pathogens through droplets exhaled in e-cigarette vapour .
The researchers said that 90 percent of vapers use low-powered devices such as pods and AIOs . If a user of a low-power device with COVID was to vape in an indoor setting , the model showed an increased risk of transmitting the coronavirus of just one percent more than simply breathing .
For the minority of high-intensity cloud-chasers using high powered mods , the risk increased by 5-17 percent .
Both the Mail and The Telegraph focused on this minority of users , without clarifying that the figure only related to a small subset of users , while The Telegraph ’ s cited 20 percent risk increase did not even appear in the paper .
Study author Roberto Sussman tweeted : “ Sloppy journalism spreads contagion panic thru infrequent “ big clouds ” when 90 % of UK vapers use low powered devices ( risk = 1 %). No mention that contagion risk is 44 % for speaking 6 minutes in 1 hour .”
The study concluded that vaping would “ add only a minuscule additional risk ” where people were breathing and talking in socially-shared indoor spaces without wearing face coverings . It said : “ As far as protection against the virus is concerned , vaping in a home scenario or in social spaces does not require extra interventions besides those already recommended for the general population .”
It ’ s also worth noting that the risk of transmission can be further mitigated by considerate vaping practices that most vapers and vape shops have been following for a year .
Avoiding blowing clouds in confined spaces around others is just a matter of politeness , pandemic or not .
The best thing vapers can do is to continue to vape responsibly and call out misinformation , whatever the sources .
E-cigarettes present a huge opportunity to reduce tobacco harm as we continue to fight this deadly pandemic . Let ’ s not allow the lies and half-truths get in the way .
VM32 79