Fact Check: Smoking will not save you from COVID-19, PIB thrashes media reports

The PIB took cognisance of some media reports claiming that a CSIR survey revealed smokers and vegetarians are less vulnerable to COVID-19 and shared that the such report are infact inconclusive.

New Delhi: The PIB on Monday took cognisance of some media reports claiming that a CSIR survey revealed smokers and vegetarians are less vulnerable to COVID-19 and shared that the such report are infact inconclusive. 

The PIB shared a post on its social media page issuing a denial to the purported report saying, "Presently, NO conclusion can be drawn based on the serological studies that vegetarian diet & smoking may protect from COVID-19." 

Here's what the tweet said: 

A media report had recently quoted a Council of Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR) survey saying that it had revealed smokers and vegetarians to be less likely to contract COVID-19 infection.

The CSIR in a notification refuted the claims saying that the study “CSIR Study Reveals Smokers and Vegetarians are Less Vulnerable to Covid-19 Infection” (dated 24th April 2021) was not released by the institute. 

The CSIR stated that 'NO conclusion can be drawn that the vegetarian diet and smoking may protect from COVID-19 based on these studies.'