COVID-19 pandemic leads to surge in opioid overdoses

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in opioid overdoses. Olmsted County Sheriff Kevin Torgerson says a drug overdose is an epidemic not just limited to Minnesota…

 

Chair of the Mayo Clinic’s Opioid Stewardship Program Halena Gazelka says fentanyl-laced drugs are a key contributor to the spike in overdose deaths:

 

Gazelka says prior to the pandemic they felt they were making strides in their fight against drug overdoses, however as people had limited access to resources during the pandemic, the progress has regressed. The CDC says drug overdoses jumped by 32 percent in Minnesota within a one-year period, a rate higher than the national average.