At a time when the number of deaths from drug overdose in the United States hit a record high, South Dakota had the largest decline. This is the governor Christie Nome This is due to her decision to keep the country open during the pandemic.
Experts expressed concern at the beginning of the pandemic that the blockade may have a negative impact on people’s physical and mental health. Some people questioned whether “cure” would be worse than the virus, pointing to the increase in drug and alcohol use. In the first year of the pandemic, the number of deaths from drug overdose across the country increased by nearly 30%, exceeding 100,000 for the first time.
According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Dakota reported the largest decline in deaths, about 19%, from 95 in April 2020 to 77 in April 2021.CDC). Noam was one of seven governors who did not order schools or businesses to close during the pandemic, despite several executive orders suggesting behavior changes to residents and businesses.
The potential 2024 presidential candidate Noam often brags in her speeches that her state will remain open during the pandemic, which may be attractive to Republican voters. Noem’s communications director Ian Fury told Weekly newspaper Noam “absolutely” believes that the lack of a lockdown order is the reason for the decline in the number of drug overdose deaths in the state.
“We allow people to live their lives flexibly. We respect them,” Noem posted Twitter In July, data on overdose deaths from December 2019 to December 2020 were released.
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During the 12-month period ending April 2021, an estimated 100,000 Americans have died from drug overdose. Joe Biden Known as the “tragic milestone.” Experts largely believe that this increase is mainly due to the spread of fentanyl (a deadly synthetic opioid) and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has left many people feeling socially isolated, unemployed and, in some cases, unable to obtain care due to the possibility of the spread of the virus.
Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, told New York Times Those who struggle with drug addiction and those who are recovering are prone to relapse. The pandemic has exacerbated people’s mental health disorders and aggravated the already growing health crisis.
Although the decline in the number of deaths from drug overdose in South Dakota has led people to believe that staying open can prevent harmful effects on people’s mental health, the data shows a bit of unevenness.
As in South Dakota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Delaware, the death toll from opioids has also declined, but not much. All three states with declines ranging from 1% to 7% have implemented stay-at-home orders, closed businesses, and reduced the movement of people to “basic” needs.
Weekly newspaper Contacted New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Delaware Governor John Carney for comments.
Implementing mitigation measures in some places also means delaying the treatment of addicted patients. Although rehabilitation facilities do not face higher risks like nursing homes, public living facilities where people share rooms and public spaces pose special challenges in preventing outbreaks.
“It is difficult to underestimate the impact of the pandemic on the opioid use disorder community,” said Dr. Caleb Alexander, professor of epidemiology and medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Bloomberg The School of Public Health told Caesars Health News in July 2020. “The pandemic has severely disrupted the drug market. Usually this will prompt more people to receive treatment. But treatment is more difficult to obtain.”
Just as states with strict COVID-19 measures cannot guarantee that overdose deaths will increase, the same is true for states with relatively loose policies.
According to WalletHub data, as of April 6, Iowa, Florida, Wyoming, Texas, and Alaska are the states with the least restrictions on COVID-19. However, the death toll in Texas and Alaska increased significantly, exceeding 30%, followed by Florida with 26%, and then Iowa and Wyoming with less than 20%.
Experts suggest that some people may also turn to drugs to cope with pandemic anxiety and loss of loved ones, which suggests that people’s personal contact with COVID-19 may contribute to drug overdose deaths and lockdowns.
Recent figures have prompted experts and legislators to call on people to solve the drug epidemic in the country and work hard to curb deaths. For many, this includes increasing access to life-saving drugs and cracking down on drug cartels that transport fentanyl.
