Predictions that overdose mortality would worsen during the COVID-19 pandemic have unfortunately proven accurate. Recent data outlined in an alert by the CDC show that rates of overdose deaths from opioids and stimulants accelerated at an alarming rate between March and May 2020, the period coinciding with widespread lockdowns (www.tinyurl.com/4ductzzx). In fact, the 12-month period ending in May 2020 saw over 81,000 overdose deaths in the US, the largest number ever recorded for a one-year period (www.tinyurl.com/ekz6aw). Deaths have largely been driven by illicit fentanyl, but fatal overdoses from stimulants are rising rapidly as well. Yale’s Addiction Medicine Program has produced free resources that review various harm reduction strategies for people who are using drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
