First responders report increase in Narcan usage during coronavirus pandemic
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HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — Dealing with the opioid epidemic during a global pandemic has been a challenge. How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted those struggling with addiction? Western Mass News spoke to Holyoke’s Gandara Center about how the number of overdoses has been affected.
“I found that people that had some solid recovery, had relapsed, putting them at an even higher risk of overdose,” said the program director for the Gandara Center’s Hope for Holyoke Peer Recovery Support Center, Debbi Flynn-Gonzalez.
Flynn-Gonzalez told Western Mass News the center’s resources hit hard.
“It was challenging, honestly. Without being able to come in for personal attention and social support, which is what we do here,” she explained. “It’s connecting socially through others that are in recovery.”
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