Covid-19 and The Overdose Epidemic

WXXI News’ Evan Dawson hosts a state-wide discussion on how the pandemic and the response have exacerbated the ongoing overdose epidemic.

Medical experts, government officials, non-profit organizations, and New York residents will share how the pandemic and the response have exacerbated the ongoing overdose epidemic in New York State Public Media Special Report: COVID-19 and the Overdose Epidemic, airing Thursday, February 16 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV and on PBS stations across New York State. Or connect to the livestream on YouTube. 

Watch Live February 16 at 8:00 PM

WXXI News’ Evan Dawson hosts. Expert guests include:

Chinazo O. Cunningham, M.D., commissioner of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports

Indu Gupta, M.D., former commissioner of health at the Onondaga County Health Department, and former co-chair of the Onondaga County Drug Task Force

Elaine Hill, Ph.D., associate professor of public health sciences and economics at the University of Rochester Medical Center

Avi Israel, president and founder of Save the Michaels of the World, an organization that raises awareness of prescription and other drug addictions

How to participate: At 8pm, you can watch on WXXI-TV or connect to the livestream . 

With contributions from multiple New York State PBS stations, the forum also features personal stories of addiction struggles during the pandemic and explores harm reduction strategies currently enacted across the state.