Harm reduction in the time of COVID-19: Case study of homelessness and drug use in Dublin, Ireland.
Int J Drug Policy
; 87: 102966, 2021 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-912156
ABSTRACT
Dublin appears to have performed very well as compared to various scenarios for COVID-19 mortality amongst homeless and drug using populations. The experience, if borne out by further research, provides important lessons for policy discussions on the pandemic, as well as broader lessons about pragmatic responses to these key client groups irrespective of COVID-19. The overarching lesson seems that when government policy is well coordinated and underpinned by a science-driven and fundamentally pragmatic approach, morbidity and mortality can be reduced. Within this, the importance of strategic clarity and delivery, housing, lowered thresholds to methadone provision, Benzodiazepine (BZD) provision and Naloxone availability were key determinants of policy success. Further, this paper argues that the rapid collapse in policy barriers to these interventions that COVID-19 produced should be secured and protected while further research is conducted.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Ill-Housed Persons
/
Substance-Related Disorders
/
Harm Reduction
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Case report
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Int J Drug Policy
Journal subject:
Public Health
/
Substance-Related Disorders
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.drugpo.2020.102966
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