If you smoke or vape, are you at a higher risk of getting COVID-19? This is a common question, and since there is strong evidence that smoking can increase your risk of viral and bacterial infections (like colds and flus), it’s possible that it could increase your risk of getting COVID-19 as well. Smoking can weaken your body’s immune cells over time, making it harder to fight infections, and also negatively impacts your lung function. Quitting smoking with the aid of treatments like laser therapy is a good way to help limit your risk of experiencing complications from COVID-19.