The great Covid and smoking cover-up?
[Snopes](<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.snopes.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;2020&#x2F;05&#x2F;07&#x2F;does-nicotine-protect-us-against-coronavirus&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.snopes.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;2020&#x2F;05&#x2F;07&#x2F;does-nicotine-protect...</a>) - from 2020, but unbiased, at least<p>&gt; The researchers have proposed nicotine attaches to the ACE2 receptors, thereby preventing the virus from attaching and potentially reducing the amount of virus that can get into a person’s lung cells.<p>As for potential bias:
&gt; Further, around 60% of the hospitalised patients in the study were ex-smokers (similar to the national prevalence). Some may have given up smoking very recently in response to the WHO declaring smoking as a risk factor for COVID-19. But they were classified as non-daily smokers in the study.
&gt; Second is what we call “social desirability bias”. COVID-19 patients may be more likely to deny smoking when asked about their smoking status in hospital, wanting to be seen by medical professionals as doing the right thing.<p>*Keep in mind this snopes article is referencing <i>one</i> study from mid-2020, and may not be accurate*