COVID-19 pandemic and alcohol consumption: Impacts and interconnections

Daniela Calina; Thomas Hartung; Ileana Mardare; Mihaela Mitroi; Konstantinos Poulas; Aristidis Tsatsakis; Ion Rogoveanu; Anca Oana Docea

doi:10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.03.005

COVID-19 pandemic and alcohol consumption: Impacts and interconnections

Toxicol Rep. 2021:8:529-535. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.03.005. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Authors

Daniela Calina¹, Thomas Hartung^{2

3}, Ileana Mardare⁴, Mihaela Mitroi⁵, Konstantinos Poulas⁶, Aristidis Tsatsakis^{7

8}, Ion Rogoveanu⁹, Anca Oana Docea¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania.
² CAAT-Europe at the University of Konstanz, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.
³ CAAT, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
⁴ Department of Public Health and Management, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest, 050463, Bucharest, Romania.
⁵ ENT Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania.
⁶ Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, School of Pharmacy, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
⁷ Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Greece.
⁸ Department of Analytical and Forensic Medical Toxicology, Sechenov University, 119991, Moscow, Russia.
⁹ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania.
¹⁰ Department of Toxicology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania.

Abstract

Alcohol consumption is associated with multiple diseases and might contribute to vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection. It can also catalyze exacerbations of mental and organic illnesses and predispose to behaviors with an increased risk of infection, severity of disease but also independently of sociopathic behavior and violence. Globally, millions of premature deaths from excessive alcohol consumption occur each year. This paper discusses the effects of increased alcohol consumption and the most important consequences on the health of the population during the social isolation and lockdown during current COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Alcohol consumption; COVID-19; Immune response; Psychological imbalances; Public health.

Publication types

Review