Nearly 30% higher than the previous year.
The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics has reported preliminary numbers on deaths as a result of drug overdoses from October 2019 through September 2020. The increase was 29% compared to the same span the year before. The social distancing measures implemented to quell the pandemic caused a surge in the side effect of “deaths of despair.”
The largest increase in overdoses came during the months with the severest lockdowns: April and May of 2020. In addition to social isolation, health care officials believe that the closure of treatment programs during the lockdown contributed to last year’s spring spike.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the National Center for Health Statistics as they process and release data.
- For the CDC to have wisdom as they issue recommendations.
- For healthcare professionals working to support the sobriety of those who struggle with addiction.
Sources: Axios, Centers for Disease Control
