Effects on Health of Passive Smoking and Vape on Terraces in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review

The health damage caused by passive smoking is well known in closed public spaces such as workplaces, inside homes and restaurants. However, at present, the number of smokers in open public spaces such as terraces has increased and consequently a loss of the quality of the air breathed, increasing the concentration of particles and other contaminating agents, affecting the health of workers and customers, of these spaces. Multiple studies show that high exposure to tobacco smoke in these environments augments the risk of developing cardiorespiratory diseases, especially in the vulnerable population, but also respiratory infections. Tobacco smoke can be an excellent vehicle for transmitting viral particles, favoring coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).