Doctor, CHP officer: Don’t over-drink New Year’s - Vallejo Times-Herald

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Though Vallejo can expect some illegal fireworks on New Year’s Eve — it happens most nights, so why should New Year’s be an exception? — one doctor said for the sake of fighting COVID-19, keep the imbibing to a minimum.

“Moderate amounts of alcohol and binge drinking — considered four to five drinks in two hours — can have a negative effect on immune response in the body. Drinking alcohol can lead to inflammation of organs, which can inhibit normal responses to infectious pathogens like the virus that causes COVID-19,” said Dr. Michael Vollmer, Infectious Disease Specialist, Kaiser Permanente Vacaville and regional epidemiologist for Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Chronic alcohol use “is associated with significant alterations in the immune system that can predispose people to viral and bacterial infections and cancer development. In general, severe chronic alcoholics are considered immunocompromised,” Vollmer added.

Dr. Michael Vollmer of Kaiser Permanente, an infectious disease expert. (Courtesy photo)

Additionally, “alcohol can lead to changes in behavior and impair decision making. This can place people at higher risk for infection in social situations around the holidays,” Vollmer said. “People who drink tend to get closer to others, talk louder, and forget important infection-prevention measures such as hand washing and mask wearing.”

While the vaccine rolls out, Vollmer said the public must remain vigilant “in practicing healthy behaviors” to quell the recent surge in COVID cases in California.

“These include wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance, practicing healthy hand hygiene, avoiding crowded indoor spaces and monitoring yourself for any COVID-19 symptoms. Following these measures is crucial now to stop the rising tide of these infections,” Vollmer said.

In partnership with the California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary, Kaiser Permanente recently joined with Sutter Health and Dignity Health on a campaign called “Don’t Share Your Air.”

“Everyone needs to do their part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 further in our communities,” Vollmer said.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, excessive alcohol use damages the cells that line the lung surface and this damage can go undetected until an infection occurs in the lungs.  Alcohol misuse is also associated with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). In fact, individuals who misuse alcohol chronically are more likely to develop ARDS, more likely to need mechanical ventilation, have a prolonged stay in the intensive care unit, and have a higher risk of mortality from ARDS. All of these effects of alcohol misuse could complicate COVID-19 prevention, treatment, and recovery.

If drinking “adult beverages” is part of the celebration in bidding adieu to 2020, Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams emphasized: “Keep it in the house and not in a vehicle.”

“We want our community to remain vigilant, stay safe and make responsible choices,” Williams said in a recent statement. “Drunk driving is never acceptable, and we encourage our community to take the precautions necessary to protect themselves and others.”

Not much of a chance any inebriated motorist got his or her start New Year’s Eve at a Solano County bar — all have been shut down since the summer.

Whether the closed taverns helps reduce DUIs “is hard to say. We saw a lot of DUI arrests during the Christmas weekend,” said Officer John Fransen with the CHP’s Golden Gate Division.

“Unfortunately, people are still choosing to go out and drink and then drive even though everything is shut down,” Fransen said by phone Wednesday afternoon.

There were 98 DUIs from Dec. 24-Dec. 27 in the nine Bay Area counties with “around 500 DUIs” at New Year’s last year statewide, the officer said.

“It’ll be interesting to see in these unprecedented times where we’re at” after this New Year’s, said Fransen, emphasizing that CHP officers working the shift “will be especially looking for impaired drivers and not just alcohol.”

Fransen and other CHP officers learned a long time ago that a swerving motorist doesn’t always mean the driver is high or intoxicated.

“We see a lot of people driving well over the speed limit, thinking they may be intoxicated. Then we get closer and realize they’re engrossed to what’s going on with their phone,” Fransen said.

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