ALBANY â Officials with the Southwest Health District are cautioning that New Yearâs Eveâs emphasis on celebrating and good cheer can increase the current spike in overdoses.
âOverdoses are drastically increasing in Dougherty County,â Phyllis Rolle, Public Health Opioid Use Prevention Analyst with the Southwest Health District, said in a news release. âThe organization is tracking the upward trend based on data provided by the local Emergency Medical Service (EMS).
âA bright spot is that fatal overdoses can be prevented if you seek medical treatment in a timely manner.â
Often, individuals fail to seek medical treatment or call 911 out of fear of facing criminal prosecution. The Georgia Medical Amnesty Law provides limited immunity to individual seeking medical attention for overdoses.