Express News Service HYDERABAD: The link between smoking and Covid-19 has been debated since the virus made its appearance. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that there are currently no peer-reviewed studies that directly estimate the risk of hospitalisation with COVID-19 among smokers. However, 27 observational studies found that smokers constituted 1.4-18.5% of hospitalised adults. In fact, there was a study that claimed that smoking provides protection against the virus. However, it was debunked later by science journals, including Nature. In one of its articles, the journal stated: “In France, researchers first suggested that nicotine may play a role in protecting smokers, triggering a run on nicotine products among the general public.