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Marian Regional Medical Center fights opioid epidemic amid COVID-19

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SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Emergency Room Medical Director Dr. Alicia Gonzalez at Marian Regional Medical Center knows first hand what it’s like to lose someone from drug overdose.

"When we talk about the opioid epidemic in our country ... it is a particular interest to me because it affected my family ... and my little brother died of an accidental fentanyl overdose … so it affects everybody it’s me it’s my family it's your family it’s your neighbors family," said Gonzalez.

The CDC’s National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) shows the most recent data between 2019 through 2020.

There were more than 88,295 predicted deaths, a record high.

Here in Santa Maria, Gonzalez says the hospital is seeing more patients struggling with drug overdose during the pandemic.

"We actually have pretty solid data that shows us that during the COVID-19 pandemic ... all of the overdose issues and the issues associated with drug use got much much worse," said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez believes the rise in drug overdose is in part due to social isolation during COVID-19.

The medical center is not only fighting the epidemic, they’re beginning a partnership to help those struggling drug overdose at the North County Branch Jail in Santa Maria.

"Oh it’s the way of the future we have to recognize that so many of the people come into our criminal justice system suffer from drug addiction alcoholism homelessness gang involvement … there a variety of different things and we have to look at at … mental illness and substance abuse in particular and do everything we can do to provide assistance … to work on prevention," said Sheriff Bill Brown of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

"We have a distribution program ... kind of like the police have ... we hand out that nasal spray in our ER to people who have drug use issues … and we're doing much more here at the hospital," said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez says she has seen patients as young as teenagers all the way up to age 80 who struggle with drug overdose.

Article Topic Follows: Santa Maria - Lompoc - North County

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Patricia Martellotti

Patricia Martellotti is a reporter for News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Patricia, click here.

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