There are a variety of myths regarding alcohol consumption and SARS-CoV-2. NIAAA supports a wide range of research on alcohol use and its effects on health and wellbeing. NIAAA’s free, research-based resources can help cut through the clutter and confusion about how alcohol affects people’s lives. Sian Ferguson is a freelance health and cannabis writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s passionate about empowering readers to take care of their mental and physical health through science-based, empathetically delivered information. It’s also worth noting that the effects of alcohol — and a hangover — may be particularly unpleasant if you also have COVID-19 symptoms.

Myth 2: Consuming alcohol stimulates the immune system

This article will discuss the myths and facts about alcohol use and COVID-19. It will also explain how alcohol consumption affects mental health and discuss some ways to treat the symptoms of depression and anxiety. A 2021 study found that people who drink at least once a week are more likely to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during COVID-19 hospitalization. This may be because alcohol use can weaken your immune system, making you more prone to infectious diseases.

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There are also a variety of medications available for depression and anxiety. For example, antidepressants can treat the symptoms of depression in some people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people may experience higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. This may cause some people to consume more alcohol than they usually would.

1. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.
2. You can take a couple of steps to avoid contracting or transmitting the COVID-19 virus while drinking.
3. Women are more likely to shoulder the burden of household tasks, caregiving, and child-rearing than men.
4. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, states tended to prioritize the economic concerns of restaurants and related businesses and may have inadvertently increased availability and access to alcohol.
5. While research on alcohol intolerance post-COVID-19 is limited, numerous anecdotal reports suggest that alcohol intolerance could be a symptom of long COVID for some individuals.

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Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, states tended to prioritize the economic concerns of restaurants and related businesses and may have inadvertently increased availability and access to alcohol. However, the public health data are conclusive that when states increase availability and access to alcohol, e.g., by adding more stores or extending days and hours of sale, then alcohol consumption and related harm also increase 34,35. This study demonstrates that over a third of participants reported that their alcohol consumption alcohol storage ideas had increased due to increased availability of alcohol during COVID-19. States should consider such data when making decisions about the strength and severity of their alcohol laws during future public heath emergencies. During the seven weeks between 1 March and 18 April 2020, there were large increases in alcohol sales in the U.S. 17. Data from the week ending 21 March indicated that alcohol sales for off-premise locations (e.g., liquor stores) had increased by 54% and online alcohol sales had increased by 262% compared to sales data from the same week in 2019.

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One example is an NIAAA-supported study showing that fewer college students had AUD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. NIAAA Director, Dr. George Koob, discusses what we know about how alcohol affects our immune and stress systems, along with issues related to treatment access during the pandemic. Some research suggests that alcohol intolerance is common for people with long COVID. This decision has received a considerable amount of backlash from public officials and oral health experts. Facing the COVID-19 (new coronavirus disease) pandemic, countries must take decisive action to stop the spread of the virus.

People who develop a severe illness from COVID-19 are at risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This occurs when fluid fills up air sacs in the lungs, affecting oxygen supply to the body. With other disasters, we’ve seen that these spikes in drinking last 5 or 6 years and then alcohol consumption slowly returns to usual levels. We hope that the high rates of alcohol use and negative health effects will decline over time as we return to more typical interactions with each other. While hand sanitizers containing 60-95% ethyl alcohol can help destroy the coronavirus on surfaces, drinking alcohol offers no protection from the virus. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every family across the country and will likely have a long-lasting impact on public health and well-being.

Participants during COVID-19 reported consuming alcohol on an average of 12.2 days and 26.8 alcohol drinks over the past 30 days. Over a third (34.1%) reported engaging in binge drinking and seven percent reported engaging in extreme binge drinking. Those participants who reported being very or extremely impacted by COVID-19, consumed more alcohol (including both on more days and more total drinks) in the past 30 days.