The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown on Alcohol Consumption: A Perspective From Hair Analysis

The study analyzed hair ethylglucuronide (EtG) levels to assess the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on alcohol consumption from March to May 2020. It involved 500 to 1,100 samples per month, comparing data from April to August 2020 with the previous 4 years. Results indicated an increase in abstinent/low-risk drinkers (up to 79%) and a decrease in moderate and chronic drinkers (−12% and −7%, respectively). However, there was an increase in EtG levels for chronic/excessive consumers in June and July 2020 (+27% and +19%, respectively), particularly among females. The findings suggested that while overall alcohol consumption decreased during the lockdown, individuals with pre-existing addictions exhibited increased harmful behavior, highlighting the utility of EtG in monitoring alcohol consumption patterns.