Groundbreaking report shows lethal interaction between alcohol and coronavirus pandemic
March 2021
Citation:
Andreasson S, Chikritzhs T, Dangardt F, Holder H, Naimi T, Sherk A, Stockwell T. (2021). Alcohol and Society 2021: Alcohol and the coronavirus pandemic: individual, societal and policy perspectives. Stockholm: Swedish Society of Nursing, SFAM, SAFF, CERA, The Swedish Society of Addiction Medicine, SIGHT, Movendi International & IOGT-NTO.
A groundbreaking new report has found alcohol fuels the coronavirus pandemic in different ways and many governments around the world have largely failed to protect their people by using evidence-based alcohol policy solutions as part of the response to COVID-19.
The analysis is the first comprehensive picture of the individual, societal and policy dimensions of the interaction between alcohol and the coronavirus crisis. NDRI Alcohol Policy expert Professor Tanya Chikritzhs was part of the group of renowned international experts who completed the report.
The authors examined data, news media reporting and the first scientific studies of this rapidly evolving situation to compile a comprehensive analysis of what we know so far about alcohol’s contribution to the pandemic, how the pandemic might drive alcohol harm, the effects of alcohol policy and the activities of the alcohol industry to capitalise on the public health crisis.
The researchers made recommendations to reduce the alcohol burden and mitigate the pandemic through evidence-based alcohol policy measures, including alcohol pricing policies and effective public health messaging from health authorities.
The full report is available here.
