A MICROBIOLOGIST expert has warned against the dangers of vaping during the coronavirus outbreak, claiming that the smoking substitute is as good as “someone spitting in your face”.

Scot Tom McLean, chief scientific advisor to The Nanotera Group, said: “We’re all used to walking down the street now and it’s one cloud followed by another cloud, followed by another cloud.

“Blowing vapour out is as good as someone spitting in your face.

“The vapour itself contains respiratory droplets including saliva, mucus and bacteria and when it’s blown out, it travels for a long distance and hangs in the air at head height.

“If anyone has the coronavirus and are vaping, they’d be spreading it to a lot of people at the same time.”

Tom, who has worked in the industry for nearly three decades, also told of how the properties of the vapour also cause a weakened immune system, despite ex-smokers turning to the electronic cigarettes as a safer option.

He said: “It has been proven that vaping causes an increase in illnesses such as colds and flu.

“Nicotine in both vapes and cigarettes paralyses small hairs in your body that cleans out the toxins.

While Tom isn’t calling on an outright ban on vapes, he is asking that users take into consideration others around them before taking a puff.

“If you’re in a large crowd, move out to the edge of the crowd to have a smoke. If you’re at home, be aware of who is around about you.

“It’s not about an outright ban of vaping but it’s about being responsible in when and where you’re vaping, and how many people are about when you are doing it.”