Beer lies on display at Market on Michigan Ave. in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan on Tuesday, September 3, 2019.Emil Lippe | MLive.com
People aren’t doing a whole lot right now.
They are drinking.
Alcohol sales are up across the country as residents adhere to stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines. It’s not an unexpected development and who can blame those who want to indulge a little bit during these stressful times?
But the World Health Organization wants people to be aware of the dangers that can come with drinking too much during the pandemic. In fact, according to report published by WHO’s regional office in Europe on Tuesday, drinking alcohol can increase the risk of catching COVID-19 and make it worse if you do get it.
“Alcohol consumption is associated with a range of communicable and noncommunicable diseases and mental health disorders, which can make a person more vulnerable to COVID-19,” the memo reads.
“In particular, alcohol compromises the body’s immune system and increases the risk of adverse health outcomes. Therefore, people should minimize their alcohol consumption at any