A syndemic of COVID-19 and methanol poisoning in Iran: Time for Iran to consider alcohol use as a public health challenge?

Abstract

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Alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems during the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative review

“…32 A unique example of alcohol-related harms during the pandemic can be found in Iran, where the encounter of a long-time held ban on alcohol with misinformation about the benefits of consuming alcohol against the virus has led to over 700 deaths caused by methanol poisoning. 33,34 It may not be necessary here to emphasise the need for clinicians to assess and address hazardous alcohol use during the pandemic. However, it might be useful to mention some additional material that could be of help.…”

Leveraging epidemiological principles to evaluate Sweden’s COVID-19 response

“…In a Swedish seroprevalence survey conducted among approximately 1600 individuals in each age group during April-May, 2020, 3.1% of those 65 and older had developed antibodies, compared to 6.5% among those 20-64 and 5.7% among those age 0-19 ( 19 ). In contrast, in a the Spanish National Seroprevalence Survey of 61,000 participants , those over 65 were most likely to have antibodies with 6.0% (>65), compared to 5.3% ( 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53. ( , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 ), and 3.4% (0-19)( 20 ) .…”

“…COVID-19 is not the only important health problem, and major healthcare interruptions have been reported in suppression strategy countries, some with immediate and other with long-term costs to human health and wellbeing. This includes significant declines in child vaccination coverage ( 34 , 35 ), reduced cancer screening ( 36 , 37 ), significant increases of out of hospital cardiac arrest and perinatal mortality ( 38 , 39 ), delays in elective and non-urgent surgical procedures, more overdose deaths than in recorded history( 40 , 41 ), increased malnutrition ( 42 ), increased mental health stressors and suicidal ideation ( 43 , 44 ), and interruptions to the prevention of other infectious diseases. Notably, there may also have been positive consequences from lockdowns such as fewer traffic accidents, more outdoor-oriented activities, less preterm deliveries( 45 ), and fewer deaths from other infectious diseases prevented from reduced contact rates and improved hand hygiene( 46 ).…”

Consumo de álcool durante a pandemia da COVID-19: uma reflexão necessária para o enfrentamento da situação

“…Nevertheless, at the beginning of the pandemic, fake news circulated that drinking alcohol would provide some protection against COVID-19 or kill the coronavirus. As a result, more than 700 people died in Iran after drinking alcohol of unknown origin and contaminated with methanol 10 . Similar cases have been reported in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.…”