{"id":2997,"date":"2020-09-24T15:27:59","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T15:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/?post_type=articles&p=2997"},"modified":"2020-12-09T09:10:11","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T09:10:11","slug":"veganism-and-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"health","link":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/health-fitness\/veganism-and-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Veganism and COVID-19: Does Being Vegan Stop You Getting Coronavirus?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CoronavirusSince the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, broke onto the world stage in early 2020, life for many people has been turned upside down. At the time of writing, there have been over 30 million confirmed cases and almost one million deaths attributed to COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).<\/p>\n

The global pandemic of COVID-19 (also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2<\/em>, or SARS-CoV-2<\/em>) has swept across the globe since it first came to light at the end of 2019<\/a> when it was described as a \u201cpneumonia of unknown origin\u201d.<\/p>\n

The spread of the virus has been accompanied by a lot of information. There is a large amount of scientific data and research that has shed light on the virus, its symptoms, effective treatments and potential vaccines. There has also been lots of government advice, good journalism and various well-researched articles.<\/p>\n

Note: There are many sources of Coronavirus (COVID-19) help and information out there but be sure to double-check any claims or assertions with trusted sources such as the NHS<\/a> or the World Health Organisation<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Main Claims in Relation to Veganism & Covid-19<\/h2>\n

\"Lady<\/p>\n

There have also been numerous conspiracy theories and frankly wacko ideas about COVID-19; where it originated, how to treat it and the things people should do to stop themselves contracting it. Some of the weirdest suggestions have come from the President of the United States of America<\/a>; which serves to show what a darn strange world we live in at the moment!<\/p>\n

Your Questions Answered<\/h3>\n

In this article, we will be examining the various claims and suggestions made in relation to veganism and COVID-19. We\u2019ll assess whether people should take notice of them or simply ignore them completely. We will look into each of the following questions in detail:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Does being vegan stop you getting COVID-19?<\/a>\u00a0In short: no, it doesn\u2019t. We\u2019ll explain why that\u2019s the case in detail. But, in essence, it is because a virus is not selective about the nose\/mouth\/eyes into which it is transferred.<\/li>\n
  2. Do vegans get less severe COVID-19 illness?<\/a>\u00a0We\u2019ll go into detail about whether people following plant-based diets are less at risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19. We\u2019ll relate this to the various risk factors<\/a> that have been linked to an increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness. These include things, such as obesity and type 2 Diabetes.<\/li>\n
  3. Would future pandemics be less likely to occur if more people became vegan?<\/a>\u00a0We\u2019ll look at where pandemics come from (hint: animals!). We\u2019ll also investigate whether a reduction in animal farming and habitat destruction could reduce the risk of future pandemics.<\/li>\n
  4. Why are there so many COVID-19 outbreaks in meat processing plants?<\/a>\u00a0We\u2019ll assess whether there are a disproportionate number of coronavirus outbreaks in meat processing plants compared to other work places. If there are, we\u2019ll investigate why that might be the case.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    We will base any arguments and information on current evidence based on scientific research (rather than anecdotal \u201cevidence\u201d or hearsay). COVID-19 is still very new in terms of its virology and epidemiology. There is, therefore, still a lack of really robust evidence in relation to many aspects of the virus.<\/p>\n

    This includes things like the long term effects and whether people are able to build up effective immunity against COVID-19. New research in relation to the coronavirus is being published all the time; we will update this article if any related evidence emerges that changes the information we present. In the meantime, we will use the best publicly available evidence.<\/p>\n

    The news has been dominated by COVID-19 for most of 2020; we will assume you known the basic information about what the virus, including the possible symptoms. If not, check out the World Health Organization\u2019s Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)<\/a> information hub. If you think you or someone you live with may have symptoms, go to the NHS COVID-19 hub<\/a> for information.<\/p>\n

    1. Does Being Vegan Stop You Getting COVID-19?<\/h2>\n

    \"Vegan<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s get straight to the point here: there is no evidence that suggests being vegan can stop you getting COVID-19. The only way to avoid contracting COVID-19 is to avoid exposure to the virus. The virus is passed mainly from person to person. There is strong evidence to suggest it can be passed by people who are not showing any symptoms<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Clearly, it passes more readily from people who have symptoms because they are more likely to be coughing or sneezing; both of which have the potential to expel literally millions of droplets containing SARS-CoV-2 into the immediate environment. If these droplets travel in your direction, there is a risk you will breathe them in. Or, they will land on your clothes or body. If you breathe in the droplets, the virus has made it into your body; in that case, there is a good chance you will be infected with coronavirus. If the droplets land on your hand and you rub your nose\/eyes\/mouth, the virus could gain entry that way.<\/p>\n

    There is also evidence to suggest that the virus that causes coronavirus disease can live on certain surfaces for a limited time<\/a>. For instance, up to three days on plastic or stainless steel. It is therefore possible that the virus could be transmitted by touching an infected surface and then touching your mouth\/nose\/eyes.<\/p>\n

    Diets Don\u2019t Stop Viruses Getting into the Body<\/h3>\n

    You may breathe in infected droplets in a busy tube carriage; or you touch an infected surface and then touch your face. There is no reason that your diet you follow would influence whether the virus infects you in these scenarios. Once it is in your body, again, there is no reason why being vegan would stop the virus infiltrating your cells and turning them into virus-replicating factories<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    There is equally no evidence to suggest that the cells inside the body of a vegan are different to those of a non-vegan; there is no research that suggests, for instance, that vegans have different shaped red blood cells or different numbers of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors (ACE2) in their nasal tissue that might have some impact on whether or not they contract COVID-19.<\/p>\n

    In short, whilst there are lots of factors, some known, quite probably many not, that can affect how someone might contract COVID, being vegan is not one of them.<\/p>\n

    What Can You Do to Reduce the Risk of Getting COVID-19?<\/h3>\n

    There are many ways to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus, but these are not related to the diet you follow. Based on advice from the NHS, the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>, examples of well-documented ways to avoid getting, or at least to reduce the risk of getting, COVID-19 include:<\/p>\n

    1. Avoiding Anyone Showing Symptoms of Coronavirus<\/h4>\n

    Clearly, it makes sense to stay away from anyone who is showing overt symptoms of what could be COVID-19: if someone is coughing near you, get the hell away!<\/p>\n

    2. Avoiding People in General as Much as Possible (Staying at Least Two-Metres Away)<\/h4>\n

    As mentioned, it is possible for people not showing symptoms to shed the virus and pass it on to others. As such, it is not enough simply to avoid people who are coughing and spluttering in your general direction. Basically, anyone could have the virus without even knowing it.<\/p>\n

    The whole notion of social distancing (staying a certain distance away from others) is designed to reduce the risk of you unknowingly coming into contact with infected people. This also applies to things like social gatherings; the larger the group of people, the more likely it is someone in that group will be shedding the virus.<\/p>\n

    3. Wearing a Face Mask<\/h4>\n

    Wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of COVID by stopping people who have it passing it to others. This applies whether they have symptoms or not. But research suggests<\/a> it can also offer some protection against breathing in particles that harbour the SARS-CoV-2 virus.<\/p>\n

    4. Wash Your Hands Regularly with Soap (Or Use Hand Gel If There Is No Soap)<\/h4>\n

    As we explain in our hand sanitiser article<\/a>, conventional soap, anti-bacterial soap and hand sanitiser denatures the COVID virus. This renders it ineffective and makes it unable to replicate itself.<\/p>\n

    So, washing your hands regularly limits the chances you will transfer the virus from your hands to your mouth\/nose\/eyes. Especially after you\u2019ve been in an environment in which many people might have been, such as a supermarket.<\/p>\n

    5. Working from Home<\/h4>\n

    Some options are simply not possible for many people, but for those who are able to work remotely from home it stands to reason that avoiding other people in the office\/workplace and not having to sit on a train\/bus\/tube is going to mean there are less opportunities for the virus to infiltrate your body.<\/p>\n

    Aside from the abovementioned suggestions, there is very little you can do to stop you getting COVID-19 in the first place. No doubt you will have come across all sorts of claims and myths online, so it\u2019s worth checking out the WHO COVID Mythbusters<\/a> page to put a few of those to bed. This BBC Future article<\/a> is also worth a read as it gives a good insight into why people believe myths and half-truths about COVID-19.<\/p>\n

    It is clear that there is no evidence available at present that gives even a hint that following a vegan diet can stop you contracting COVID-19. But is there any evidence that might suggest a link between a plant-based diet and a less severe COVID-19 illness?<\/p>\n

    2. Do Vegans Get Less Severe COVID-19 Illness?<\/h2>\n

    \"Covid-19<\/p>\n

    There are lots of people who have been drawn towards veganism for health reasons<\/a>, some of whom after watching one of the vegan documentaries<\/a> that have become quite popular in recent years, such as The Game Changers<\/em>. The crux of veganism offering a healthier diet than a standard omnivorous diet is based on vegans tending to eat more fruit and vegetables in general, consuming less in the way of cholesterol and saturated fats, and eating more seeds, nuts and legumes. But, how does this relate to experiencing a less severe COVID-19 illness?<\/p>\n

    Obesity<\/h3>\n

    A healthier diet that is lower in fat and cholesterol is likely to reduce a person\u2019s risk of becoming obese. The same applies for the chance of developing health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. Both of these are risk factors for making people more likely to develop severe COVID-19 illness and potentially even dying.<\/p>\n

    A study published in the BMJ<\/a> (previously known as the British Medical Journal) of more than 20,000 patients in the UK from over 200 hospitals suggested there are various factors affecting how likely someone is to become seriously ill. The vast majority of people admitted to hospital and who suffered severe COVID-19 illness had serious underlying health conditions. The BMJ report also stated that:<\/p>\n

    Increasing age, male sex, and comorbidities including chronic cardiac disease, non-asthmatic chronic pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, liver disease and obesity were associated with higher mortality in hospital.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Clearly, some of these risk factors have nothing to do with a person\u2019s diet, such as the person\u2019s sex or age. But things like chronic cardiac disease, obesity and even type 2 diabetes (though not type 1) can be significantly affected by the food and drink someone consumes.<\/p>\n

    Veganism and COVID-19 Symptoms: Points to Note<\/h3>\n

    As such, it might be the case that people following vegan diets may get less severe symptoms than other people in some circumstances. But there are some serious caveats to a suggestions like that:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. A vegan diet is not necessarily a healthy diet<\/strong> – Not eating animal products doesn\u2019t make you healthy, unless you eat a well-planned and balanced vegan diet.<\/li>\n
    2. Non-vegan diets can be healthy too<\/strong> – Equally, whilst vegans may generally eat more phytonutrients, there are lots of very healthy non-vegan diets too.<\/li>\n
    3. Diet is only one factor affecting a person\u2019s overall level of healthiness<\/strong> – The amount and type of exercise a person takes contributes significantly towards how healthy that person is. Indeed, the levels of stress a person experiences also plays a significant role. While diet plays a major role in someone\u2019s health, it is not the only factor<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      So, really, it would be more accurate to suggest that a healthy balanced diet with regular exercise and low levels of stress might give people a better chance to avoid severe COVID-19 illness compared to others living a less healthy lifestyle.<\/p>\n

      But taking into account other lifestyle factors, it can certainly be argued that people who follow a vegan diet are less likely to suffer certain health problems than those who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

      Are Vegans Less Likely to Be Obese?<\/h3>\n

      While it is not the case that becoming a vegan will automatically make you lose weight, it is true to say that on average vegans have a lower BMI than vegetarians, people who eat fish but not meat, and meat eaters.<\/p>\n

      This conclusion was drawn by the wide-ranging Diet and Body Mass Index study published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2003<\/a>. We go into a bit more detail about the study in our article on Vegan Weight Loss<\/a>, but with a large sample of 38,000 participants, this is generally considered a robust finding. In conclusion, the study authors stated<\/p>\n

      Fish-eaters, vegetarians and especially vegans had lower BMI than meat-eaters. Differences in macronutrient intakes accounted for about half the difference in mean BMI between vegans and meat-eaters.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      A lower BMI translated into a less likelihood of becoming obese. It is also associated with some of the other illnesses that are recognised as risk factors for developing severe COVID-19 illness, namely type 2 diabetes and heart disease.<\/p>\n

      Could Vegan Diets Help Reduce the Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes?<\/h3>\n

      In relation to type 2 diabetes specifically, it has been suggested by both The British Diabetic Association<\/a> and Diabetes.co.uk<\/a> that a low fat vegan diet can have real benefits including \u201clower levels of type 2 diabetes, less hypertension, lower cholesterol levels and reduced cancer rates\u201d. We investigate how a vegan diet might reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (and even how it might help reverse it in some cases) in our article on Veganism and Diabetes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

      Based on the above information and various other research and guidance in the public domain, it would be fair to suggest that while veganism isn\u2019t a solution in terms of limiting your chances of getting severe COVID-19 illness, it can certainly be a contributing factor.<\/p>\n

      In general terms, because of the low fibre nature of meat, eggs and dairy products, as well as the increased levels of saturated fat and cholesterol compared to fruit and vegetables, it is understandably more difficult to follow a diet that incorporates these things and still maintain optimal health. Such animal products are good sources of protein but it should not be forgotten that there are lots of great vegan sources of protein<\/a> too.<\/p>\n

      Diet Is Only Part of the Answer<\/h3>\n

      Clearly, the amount of energy a person expends during a given day also plays a massive part in someone\u2019s bodyweight and BMI, and regular exercise is a great way to keep your BMI in check whilst also bringing additional benefits to your cardiovascular fitness, as well as potentially reducing stress levels and improving mental health. The World Health Organization<\/a> gives the following recommendation about physical activity, suggesting that adults aged 18 to 64:<\/p>\n

      Should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-intensity physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or equivalent.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      If you are looking for somewhere to start with exercise, there are loads of free workout vids online, including every parent\u2019s lockdown exercise hero, Joe Wicks<\/a>!<\/p>\n

      3. Would Future Pandemics Be Less Likely To Occur If More People Became Vegan?<\/h2>\n

      \"Coronavirus<\/p>\n

      Moving away from how following a vegan diet might help individuals, we now look at things from a more macro level: if lots more people (or indeed everyone) went vegan, would we avoid future pandemics completely?<\/p>\n

      There was something of an outcry when well-known vegan activist, Earthling Ed, released a video in March 2020 (see below) \u2013 just as the pandemic was really starting to take hold \u2013 that linked various diseases (from HIV to Ebola, swine flu to COVID-19) with the exploitation of non-human animals by humans.<\/p>\n

      He went on to suggest that because it is thought that the SARS-CoV-2 virus originated in a meat and animal market in Wuhan, the market itself \u2013 and hence the ability for the virus to have been transmitted there \u2013 \u201conly existed because of our desire to eat animals\u201d. So, is Earthling Ed onto something here or is he guilty \u2013 as suggested in some tabloids \u2013 of exploiting the pandemic to push his own vegan advocacy agenda?