2021 BQ Journal Vol 42 - 42

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Intervene early with individuals at highest risk for overdose.
Improve detection of overdose outbreaks to facilitate more effective response.

What CDC is doing
Measures taken at the national, state, and local level to address the COVID-19 pandemic may have unintended
consequences for substance use and overdose, but CDC is working with states, territories, tribes, cities, and counties across
the country to continue drug overdose surveillance and prevention efforts. This includes assessing overdose data to
understand trends, as well as working with funded jurisdictions to provide flexibilities where needed and technical
assistance to identify strategies to inform public health action during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CDC began a multiyear Overdose Data to Action cooperative agreement in September 2019 and funds health departments
in 47 states; Washington, D.C.; two territories; and 16 cities and counties for drug overdose surveillance and prevention
efforts. Funds awarded as part of this agreement support health departments in obtaining high quality, more
comprehensive, and timelier data on overdose morbidity and mortality and using those data to inform prevention and
response efforts.
CDC is committed to preventing opioid and other drug misuse, overdoses, and deaths through five key strategies:
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Using data to monitor emerging trends and direct prevention activities;
Strengthening state, local, and tribal capacity to respond to the epidemic;
Working with providers, health systems, and payers to reduce unsafe exposure to opioids and treat addiction;
Coordinating with public safety and community-based partners to rapidly identify overdose threats, reverse
overdoses, link people to effective treatment, and reduce harms associated with illicit opioids; and
Increasing public awareness about the risks of opioids.

Learn more about what CDC is doing to prevent opioid-related deaths on CDC's Efforts to Prevent Opioid Overdoses and
Other Opioid-Related Harms webpage.
What you can do
Not all overdoses have to end in death. Everyone has a role to play.
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Learn about the risks of opioids.
Learn about naloxone, its availability, and how to use it.
Help people struggling with opioid use disorder to find the right care and treatment.
Learn more about CDC's overdose surveillance and prevention efforts in your community

Learn more about what may help if you or someone you care about is increasing drug use during the COVID-19
pandemic.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
CDC works 24/7 protecting America's health, safety and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or
preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America's most pressing health
threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p1218-overdose-deaths-covid19.html#:~:text=Over%2081%2C000%20drug%20overdose%20deaths,Control%20and%20Prevention%20(CDC).

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https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p1218-overdose-deaths-covid-19.html#:~:text=Over%2081%2C000%20drug%20overdose%20deaths,Control%20and%20Prevention%20(CDC https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p1218-overdose-deaths-covid-19.html#:~:text=Over%2081%2C000%20drug%20overdose%20deaths,Control%20and%20Prevention%20(CDC

2021 BQ Journal Vol 42

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2021 BQ Journal Vol 42