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Journal ArticleDOI

Is Alcohol an "Essential Good" During COVID-19? Yes, but Only as a Disinfectant!

TL;DR: During the current coronavirus disease pandemic, a variety of government reactions related to alcohol control were seen, with some countries banning the sale of alcohol outright and others formally declaring off‐premises sales and alcohol delivery services to be “essential,” allowing for additional forms of delivery and weakened restrictions on its availability.
Abstract: Alcohol adversely affects people around the world on a large scale even in non‐pandemic times, with about three million deaths attributed to alcohol use each year (Shield et al., 2020). During the current coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic, a variety of government reactions related to alcohol control were seen, with some countries banning the sale of alcohol outright, and others formally declaring off‐premises sales and alcohol delivery services to be “essential,” allowing for additional forms of delivery and weakened restrictions on its availability (Rehm et al., 2020, Reynolds and Wilkinson, 2020).
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
25 Feb 2021-Foods
TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarized food security during epidemics and pandemics before moving on to panic buying, food shortages, and price spikes observed during the current crisis, and highlighted the need to develop contingency plans and mitigation strategies that would allow a more rapid response to extreme events (e.g., disasters from climate change) and transform the food sector by making it more resilient.
Abstract: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a new era in the efficacy of the food supply chain, while the consequences of this new era on humanity, the economy, and the food sector are still under examination. For example, food security is one vital aspect of food systems which is directly affected. This review summarizes food security during epidemics and pandemics before moving on to panic buying, food shortages, and price spikes observed during the current crisis. The importance of food resilience, together with the need for addressing issues related to food loss and food waste, is underlined in the review towards food security and sustainable development. As a result, the pandemic has shown that our food systems are fragile. Since the global population and urbanization will grow in the coming decades, pandemics will likely occur more often, and climate change will intensify. Consequently, there is a need to ensure that our food systems become more sustainable and resilient. To that end, we have highlighted the need to develop contingency plans and mitigation strategies that would allow a more rapid response to extreme events (e.g., disasters from climate change) and transform the food sector by making it more resilient.

92 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This book aims to provide a chronology of key players, institutions and individuals involved in the development and implementation of COVID-19, as well as some of their activities since its launch in May 2015.
Abstract: AIMS: To investigate changes in alcohol consumption during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe as well as its associations with income and experiences of distress related to the pandemic. DESIGN: Cross-sectional on-line survey conducted between 24 April and 22 July 2020. SETTING: Twenty-one European countries. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 31 964 adults reporting past-year drinking. MEASUREMENTS: Changes in alcohol consumption were measured by asking respondents about changes over the previous month in their drinking frequency, the quantity they consumed and incidence of heavy episodic drinking events. Individual indicators were combined into an aggregated consumption-change score and scaled to a possible range of -1 to +1. Using this score as the outcome, multi-level linear regressions tested changes in overall drinking, taking into account sampling weights and baseline alcohol consumption [Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C)] and country of residence serving as random intercept. Similar models were conducted for each single consumption-change indicator. FINDINGS: The aggregated consumption-change score indicated an average decrease in alcohol consumption of -0.14 [95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.18, -0.10]. Statistically significant decreases in consumption were found in all countries, except Ireland (-0.08, 95% CI = -0.17, 0.01) and the United Kingdom (+0.10, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.17). Decreases in drinking were mainly driven by a reduced frequency of heavy episodic drinking events (-0.17, 95% CI = -0.20, -0.14). Declines in consumption were less marked among those with low- or average incomes and those experiencing distress. CONCLUSIONS: On average, alcohol consumption appears to have declined during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Both reduced availability of alcohol and increased distress may have affected consumption, although the former seems to have had a greater impact in terms of immediate effects.

89 citations


Cites background from "Is Alcohol an "Essential Good" Duri..."

  • ...A loosening of alcohol policies by allowing home delivery and online purchases of alcohol might have increased at-home drinking, at least in the rst months of the pandemic [38]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on persons with alcohol use disorders has been studied in a total of 455 titles, 227 abstracts were screened and 95 articles were reviewed (on November 25th, 2020).
Abstract: PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To understand the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on persons with alcohol use disorders. RECENT FINDINGS: From a total of 455 titles on COVID-19 and alcohol, 227 abstracts were screened, and 95 articles were reviewed (on November 25th, 2020). The immediate effect was an increase in alcohol related emergencies including alcohol withdrawal, related suicides, and methanol toxicity. Although there are mixed findings with respect to changes in the quantity of drinking, there are reports of binge/heavy drinking during the lockdown as well as relapse postlockdown. Psychological, social, biological, economic and policy-related factors appear to influence the changes in drinking. Although preliminary data suggest no change in alcohol use among persons with comorbid mental illness, findings in this population are presently limited. Among patients with alcohol related liver disease, outcomes appear worse and caution is warranted with the use of medications. Alcohol also appears to increases the risk of COVID-19 infection and complicates its course.Although some nations banned alcohol sales completely during lockdown, others declared it as an essential commodity, resulting in different problems across countries. Alcohol use has added to the burden of the problem particularly among vulnerable groups like the adolescents, elderly, patients with cancer, as well as health professionals. Services for patients with alcohol use disorders have been affected. SUMMARY: The COVID-19 pandemic has had considerable impact on alcohol use, with an increase in alcohol related emergencies, changes in alcohol use patterns, increased risk of contracting COVID-19, effect on alcohol policies and sales, and an effect on vulnerable groups. It is essential to understand and respond to the current situation, intervene early, and prevent further repercussions of the pandemic.Video abstract link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IJWtIs6e554PryKWhdma4VB--mjSZq1C/view?usp=sharing.

60 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Changes in use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis during the initial months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in several European countries are suggested.
Abstract: SARS-CoV-2 reached Europe in early 2020 and disrupted the private and public life of its citizens, with potential implications for substance use. The objective of this study was to describe possible changes in substance use in the first months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional online survey of 36,538 adult substance users from 21 European countries conducted between April 24 and July 22 of 2020. Self-perceived changes in substance use were measured by asking respondents whether their use had decreased (slightly or substantially), increased (slightly or substantially), or not changed during the past month. The survey covered alcohol (frequency, quantity, and heavy episodic drinking occasions), tobacco, cannabis, and other illicit drug use. Sample weighted data were descriptively analysed and compared across substances. Across all countries, use of all substances remained unchanged for around half of the respondents, while the remainder reported either a decrease or increase in their substance use. For alcohol use, overall, a larger proportion of respondents indicated a decrease than those reporting an increase. In contrast, more respondents reported increases in their tobacco and cannabis use during the previous month compared to those reporting decreased use. No distinct direction of change was reported for other substance use. Our findings suggest changes in use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis during the initial months of the pandemic in several European countries. This study offers initial insights into changes in substance use. Other data sources, such as sales statistics, should be used to corroborate these preliminary findings.

59 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the factors associated with an increase in domestic violence incidents during COVID-19 by applying routine activity theory (RAT) framework and concluded that changes in the routine activities of people during the lockdown provided more opportunities to the perpetrators of domestic violence.
Abstract: Domestic violence, a prevalent problem in India, saw an increase during the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19. This article explores the factors associated with an increase in domestic violence incidents during COVID-19 by applying routine activity theory (RAT) framework. Data were drawn from the incidents of domestic violence reported in newspapers. Data was analyzed using content analysis and three major themes, i.e., three principle components of RAT-motivated offender, suitable target, and absence of capable guardian-were drawn. Findings reveal that sources of motivation in domestic violence perpetrators during the lockdown were alcohol and unemployment. The symbolic value that perpetrators associated with women, lower inertia, visibility, and accessibility to the perpetrators made women suitable targets of domestic violence. Lastly, shortage of police force and travel restrictions on formal and informal sources resulted in the absence of capable guardians. We conclude that changes in the routine activities of people during the COVID-19 lockdown provided more opportunities to the perpetrators of domestic violence.

34 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Monitoring consumption levels both during and after the CO VID‐19 pandemic will be necessary to better understand the effects of COVID‐19 on different groups, as well as to distinguish them from those arising from existing alcohol control policies.
Abstract: Based on a literature search undertaken to determine the impacts of past public health crises, and a systematic review of the effects of past economic crises on alcohol consumption, two main scenarios-with opposite predictions regarding the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the level and patterns of alcohol consumption-are introduced. The first scenario predicts an increase in consumption for some populations, particularly men, due to distress experienced as a result of the pandemic. A second scenario predicts the opposite outcome, a lowered level of consumption, based on the decreased physical and financial availability of alcohol. With the current restrictions on alcohol availability, it is postulated that, for the immediate future, the predominant scenario will likely be the second, while the distress experienced in the first may become more relevant in the medium- and longer-term future. Monitoring consumption levels both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic will be necessary to better understand the effects of COVID-19 on different groups, as well as to distinguish them from those arising from existing alcohol control policies.

325 citations


"Is Alcohol an "Essential Good" Duri..." refers background in this paper

  • ...…domestic violence under lock-downs, reduce the burden to the healthcare system from alcohol-related health emergencies and prevent the virus from spreading further as intoxicated individuals might not practice physical distancing and personal hygiene (Rehm et al., 2020, Nadkarni et al., 2020)....

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  • ...…with some countries banning the sale of alcohol outright, and others formally declaring off-premises sales and alcohol delivery services to be “essential,” allowing for additional forms of delivery and weakened restrictions on its availability (Rehm et al., 2020, Reynolds and Wilkinson, 2020)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: As a leading risk factor for the burden of disease, alcohol use disproportionately affects people in low HDI countries and young people, and cost-effective local and national policy measures that can reduce alcohol use and the resultingurden of disease are needed, especially in low-income and middle-income countries.
Abstract: Summary Background Alcohol use has increased globally, with varying trends in different parts of the world. This study investigates gender, age, and geographical differences in the alcohol-attributable burden of disease from 2000 to 2016. Methods This comparative risk assessment study estimated the alcohol-attributable burden of disease. Population-attributable fractions (PAFs) were estimated by combining alcohol exposure data obtained from production and taxation statistics and from national surveys with corresponding relative risks obtained from meta-analyses and cohort studies. Mortality and morbidity data were obtained from the WHO Global Health Estimates, population data were obtained from the UN Population Division, and human development index (HDI) data were obtained from the UN Development Programme. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were estimated using a Monte Carlo-like approach. Findings Globally, we estimated that there were 3·0 million (95% UI 2·6–3·6) alcohol-attributable deaths and 131·4 million (119·4–154·4) disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2016, corresponding to 5·3% (4·6–6·3) of all deaths and 5·0% (4·6–5·9) of all DALYs. Alcohol use was a major risk factor for communicable, maternal, perinatal, and nutritional diseases (PAF of 3·3% [1·9–5·6]), non-communicable diseases (4·3% [3·6–5·1]), and injury (17·7% [14·3–23·0]) deaths. The alcohol-attributable burden of disease was higher among men than among women, and the alcohol-attributable age-standardised burden of disease was highest in the eastern Europe and western, southern, and central sub-Saharan Africa regions, and in countries with low HDIs. 52·4% of all alcohol-attributable deaths occurred in people younger than 60 years. Interpretation As a leading risk factor for the burden of disease, alcohol use disproportionately affects people in low HDI countries and young people. Given the variations in the alcohol-attributable burden of disease, cost-effective local and national policy measures that can reduce alcohol use and the resulting burden of disease are needed, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. Funding None.

256 citations


"Is Alcohol an "Essential Good" Duri..." refers background in this paper

  • ...All rights reserved three million deaths attributed to alcohol use each year (Shield et al., 2020)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Global evidence on alcohol use exposures and risk relations, as well as on intervention costs and impacts, are used to re-examine the comparative cost-effectiveness of a range of alcohol control strategies.
Abstract: Objective:Evidence on the comparative cost-effectiveness of alcohol control strategies is a relevant input into public policy and resource allocation. At the global level, this evidence has been us...

149 citations


"Is Alcohol an "Essential Good" Duri..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Although sales bans, especially total bans, can be problematic, they do follow the public health rationale and the existing evidence that reducing the availability of retail alcohol will result in less consumption and, therefore, less alcohol-related harm (Chisholm et al., 2018)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Given the high public health importance associated with the consumption of surrogate alcohols, further knowledge on its chemical composition is required as well as research on its links to various disease endpoints should be undertaken with priority.
Abstract: Background: Consumption of surrogate alcohols (i.e., nonbeverage alcohols and illegally produced alcohols) was shown to impact on different causes of death, not only poisoning or liver disease, and appears to be a major public health problem in Russia and elsewhere. Methods: A computer-assisted literature review on chemical composition and health consequences of “surrogate alcohol” was conducted and more than 70 references were identified. A wider definition of the term “surrogate alcohol” was derived, including both nonbeverage alcohols and illegally produced alcohols that contain nonbeverage alcohols. Results: Surrogate alcohol may contain substances that cause severe health consequences including death. Known toxic constituents include lead, which may lead to chronic toxicity, and methanol, which leads to acute poisoning. On the other hand, the role of higher alcohols (e.g., propanol, isobutanol, and isoamyl alcohol) in the etiology of surrogate-associated diseases is currently unclear. Whether other constituents of surrogates have contributed to the high all-cause mortality over and above the effect of ethanol in recent studies also remains unclear. Conclusions: Given the high public health importance associated with the consumption of surrogate alcohols, further knowledge on its chemical composition is required as well as research on its links to various disease endpoints should be undertaken with priority. Some interventions to reduce the harm resulting from surrogate alcohol could be undertaken already at this point. For example, the use of methanol or methanol-containing wood alcohol should be abolished in denatured alcohol. Other possible surrogates (e.g., automobile products) should be treated with bittering agents to avoid consumption.

140 citations


"Is Alcohol an "Essential Good" Duri..." refers background in this paper

  • ...…is mostly observed in marginalized individuals with alcohol use disorders, and factors like affordability and physical availability of these products, especially in times of crisis, play a key role in their consumption (Elton-Marshall et al., 2020, Lachenmeier et al., 2007, Neufeld et al., 2019)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The way forward could be a pragmatic and utilitarian approach involving continued access to alcohol, while observing all physical distancing norms necessary during the pandemic, for those who want to continue drinking; and implementing innovative measures such as tele-counselling for thosewho wish not to return back to drinking.

52 citations


"Is Alcohol an "Essential Good" Duri..." refers background in this paper

  • ...…domestic violence under lock-downs, reduce the burden to the healthcare system from alcohol-related health emergencies and prevent the virus from spreading further as intoxicated individuals might not practice physical distancing and personal hygiene (Rehm et al., 2020, Nadkarni et al., 2020)....

    [...]