With the government calling on people to stay at home as much as possible to help stop the spread of coronavirus, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is asking people who drink alcohol to think about their drinking habits during this period. Michael Owen, Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol at the PHA, said: “Several countries are reporting an increase in home drinking and it’s likely that we are no different. Drinking too much alcohol can seriously damage your health and have a negative impact on those around you. Alcohol is an extremely powerful drug and we need to be careful of how we use it.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging people to follow the advice on social distancing as an essential part of slowing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and saving lives. Dr Hugo Van Woerden, Director of Public Health at the PHA, said: “I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to practise social distancing as a key step in saving lives. The guidance to socially distance ourselves from others applies to everyone. We should all be taking steps to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the transmission of coronavirus. “Every one of us has a role to play in this

A total of 33,992 visits were made to needle and syringe exchange schemes (NSES) during 2018-19, helping to stop the spread of infection from drug-related litter and sharing of equipment. The figures released by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) show a 13% increase in visits to NSES compared to the 2017-18 figures. Michael Owen, the PHA’s Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol, said: “The increase in demand for the service demonstrates a need for the scheme, evidence that people are listening to our advice to use the support available and good use of a service