I read this morning that researchers will begin testing nicotine patches on COVID-19 patients. They said they were going to try nicotine as treatment because smokers are 80% less likely to be infected by SARS-CoV-2. However, this contradicts what I have heard before; that smokers are more likely to be infected. What are your thoughts or comments on trying nicotine as a treatment? Do you think it will work, or do you think it is going in the completely wrong direction?
I tried to answer this in class Friday. Nicotine is addictive; it has multiple systemic effects. We don't know how nicotine would work against a viral infection.