Stay at home orders contributing to spike in overdose cases
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A spike in local overdose deaths is prompting new public health warnings.
The Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition says stay at home orders have had an impact on people battling substance abuse.
A pandemic hasn't changed the need for help for people battling addiction. This week, there's been a spike in overdose deaths.
Newtown Police Chief Tom Synan said, "So far, this week, there have been suspected a reported 14 overdose deaths since this weekend."
Synan says, initially, the thought was that the spike was because the supply chain in drugs coming from China had been interrupted.
"When somebody uses and they use the same amount that they had been using previously, that amount can be fatal if there's been an interruption to that," Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus said.
The belief now is that the uptick is related to COVID-19 stay at home orders.
"I think the message of COVID is overpowering the message of treatment is still available. Help is still available," Synan said.
Driehaus added, "While treatment is still available, the face-to-face treatment has been restricted. Think of the quick-response teams going door to door. They can't do that anymore."
Rob Goeller with the nonprofit Caracole says agencies have had to change the way they help since the pandemic. He says agencies like Hamilton County Health Department are still giving help.
"They're sending people home with a month's worth of supplies, so new syringes, of course, Narcan, naloxone, other sterile injection supplies, fentanyl test strips. They're also doing mail order Narcan," Goeller said.
The coalition is still educating people battling addiction and they want people who may feel isolated to reach out for help.
"The other thing too is that we don't want people having this misconception that Narcan saves you every single time. It doesn't," Synan said.
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