The City Needs To Do More To Protect Drug Users By Jess Distill 20. október 2020 15:55 Guðmundur Ingi Þóroddsson, the chairman of Afstaða, the advocacy group for improved prison policies and betterment. Vísir Guðmundur Ingi Þóroddsson, the chairman of Afstaða, the advocacy group for improved prison policies and betterment, has expressed concern for the health and wellbeing of drug users during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vísir reports. “The situation of active drug users, the homeless and former prisoners is very bad. They have reduced access to general health services and there are no treatments available to this group”, says Guðmundur Ingi. This comment comes after a fire broke out in a house that was inhabited by a group active drug users, two of whom had COVID-19. With no easy access to sample testing or health care, it is possible that around twenty people living in the house may also have contracted the virus. Tests are now being carried out. The condition of the house was incredibly poor and the police are currently trying to determine the cause of the fire. One woman has been taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the fire, as well as other offences. Changes need to be made Guðmundur Ingi says that the COVID-19 epidemic has had a huge impact on drug users in Iceland, with indications that consumption has become harder, drugs and paraphernalia more expensive and medical care difficult to seek out. However, it seems that the city of Reykjavík is starting to step up and make positive changes to help the situation. But more needs to be done. The situation in the house was terrible but not surprising, according to Guðmundur Ingi. “It’s a real myth that we in Iceland have the best treatment centres in the world. We do not have treatments for this group and it’s high time to do research on what works and what does not”. He adds, “More safe drug consumption spaces are needed for people during the pandemic. Access to health care for this group is reduced. They’re not able to use video call equipment and may not be paying much attention to infection control, so the situation is getting worse.” The post The City Needs To Do More To Protect Drug Users appeared first on The Reykjavik Grapevine. Athugið. Vísir hvetur lesendur til að skiptast á skoðunum. Allar athugasemdir eru á ábyrgð þeirra er þær rita. Lesendur skulu halda sig við málefnalega og hófstillta umræðu og áskilur Vísir sér rétt til að fjarlægja ummæli og/eða umræðu sem fer út fyrir þau mörk. Vísir mun loka á aðgang þeirra sem tjá sig ekki undir eigin nafni eða gerast ítrekað brotlegir við ofangreindar umgengnisreglur. Mest lesið Forsetavaktin: Sjöundi forseti lýðveldisins verður kjörinn Innlent Fólk hafi kosið taktískt gegn Katrínu Innlent Batt á sig klút til heiðurs Höllu Innlent Hópur ungmenna réðst á starfsmann veitingastaðar Innlent Augljóst að kjósendur vilja konu sem næsta forseta Innlent Bein útsending: Kosningasjónvarp Stöðvar 2 Innlent Telur fylgið hafa farið á dreifingu vegna fjölda frambjóðenda Innlent Segir klútabyltinguna vera hafna Innlent Segir allt stefna í að Halla Tómasdóttir verði forseti Innlent Fyrstu tölur úr Suðvesturkjördæmi: Minnsti munurinn á Höllu og Katrínu hingað til Innlent
Guðmundur Ingi Þóroddsson, the chairman of Afstaða, the advocacy group for improved prison policies and betterment, has expressed concern for the health and wellbeing of drug users during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vísir reports. “The situation of active drug users, the homeless and former prisoners is very bad. They have reduced access to general health services and there are no treatments available to this group”, says Guðmundur Ingi. This comment comes after a fire broke out in a house that was inhabited by a group active drug users, two of whom had COVID-19. With no easy access to sample testing or health care, it is possible that around twenty people living in the house may also have contracted the virus. Tests are now being carried out. The condition of the house was incredibly poor and the police are currently trying to determine the cause of the fire. One woman has been taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the fire, as well as other offences. Changes need to be made Guðmundur Ingi says that the COVID-19 epidemic has had a huge impact on drug users in Iceland, with indications that consumption has become harder, drugs and paraphernalia more expensive and medical care difficult to seek out. However, it seems that the city of Reykjavík is starting to step up and make positive changes to help the situation. But more needs to be done. The situation in the house was terrible but not surprising, according to Guðmundur Ingi. “It’s a real myth that we in Iceland have the best treatment centres in the world. We do not have treatments for this group and it’s high time to do research on what works and what does not”. He adds, “More safe drug consumption spaces are needed for people during the pandemic. Access to health care for this group is reduced. They’re not able to use video call equipment and may not be paying much attention to infection control, so the situation is getting worse.” The post The City Needs To Do More To Protect Drug Users appeared first on The Reykjavik Grapevine.
Athugið. Vísir hvetur lesendur til að skiptast á skoðunum. Allar athugasemdir eru á ábyrgð þeirra er þær rita. Lesendur skulu halda sig við málefnalega og hófstillta umræðu og áskilur Vísir sér rétt til að fjarlægja ummæli og/eða umræðu sem fer út fyrir þau mörk. Vísir mun loka á aðgang þeirra sem tjá sig ekki undir eigin nafni eða gerast ítrekað brotlegir við ofangreindar umgengnisreglur. Mest lesið Forsetavaktin: Sjöundi forseti lýðveldisins verður kjörinn Innlent Fólk hafi kosið taktískt gegn Katrínu Innlent Batt á sig klút til heiðurs Höllu Innlent Hópur ungmenna réðst á starfsmann veitingastaðar Innlent Augljóst að kjósendur vilja konu sem næsta forseta Innlent Bein útsending: Kosningasjónvarp Stöðvar 2 Innlent Telur fylgið hafa farið á dreifingu vegna fjölda frambjóðenda Innlent Segir klútabyltinguna vera hafna Innlent Segir allt stefna í að Halla Tómasdóttir verði forseti Innlent Fyrstu tölur úr Suðvesturkjördæmi: Minnsti munurinn á Höllu og Katrínu hingað til Innlent