Introduction:
Evidence indicates that smoking adversely affects a wide range of COVID-19 outcomes such as hospitalisation and death. As quitting smoking immediately improves the lung and cardiovascular function, this might help manage the comorbid conditions and possibly produce less severe symptoms from COVID-19 infection. Quit attempts are often initiated by trigger-events that ignite a dormant motivation. Cessation counselling increases the chance of a successful quit attempt.

Material and Methods:
The aim was to generate quit-attempts among visitors to COVID test- and vaccination facilities. Very Brief Advice (VBA) – a super quick and non-invasive recruitment method for smoking cessation - was implemented in a number of such facilities in Denmark in 2021. Trained staff used the VBA method to recruit citizens who wanted cessation advice and facilitated contact to the Danish National Quitline (DNQ).). A quit attempt is defined as engaging in a minimum of one counselling session with a DNQ-counsellor. DNQ-counsellors use Motivational Interviewing (MI).

Results:
5.011 individuals were recruited and contacted by Quitline a counsellor by phone; 2.529 (50 %) answered the call and 1.825 (70 %) engaged in minimum one counselling session. Hence 36 % of all recruited engaged in a quit attempt as a result of the intervention. Approx half of the 1.825 signed up for further support.

Conclusions:
VBA-interventions like the one described represent a trigger that can ignite dormant motivation for smoking cessation. The direct link from the trained VBA-personal to the professional MI-counselling at the DNQ increases the likelihood of a successful quit attempt. Hence this intervention shows great potential in generating quit attempts in this specific setting and in other similar settings.