Excessive alcohol drinking drove about 488 deaths per day during the pandemic, CDC says

According to a recent report, the United States has seen a surge in deaths due to excessive alcohol consumption. The average number of daily deaths from excessive alcohol drinking reached approximately 488 during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21. The report highlighted that alcohol is a leading cause of preventable death. From 2016-17 to 2020-21, the average number of alcohol-related deaths increased over 29%, with a total of 178,307 deaths in 2020-2021. Both men and women experienced an increase in alcohol-related deaths, with a larger increase observed among women. The report urged states to implement policies to limit alcohol accessibility and increase prices, as well as promote strategies to reduce excessive drinking. While the study focused on excessive alcohol use, it did not measure the harms associated with all levels of alcohol consumption.