SARS-CoV-2, Alcohol Consumption, Poor Social Behavior, and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author(s): Marques F O

A pandemic can only take place if virus transmission is out of control, especially if transmission is through the air. Here, we carry out a critical analysis of data regarding COVID-19, because it is crucial for effective decision making and control of the pandemic. As a major conclusion, an intimate relation between the number of cases/deaths and the consumption of alcohol is found, because, with very few exceptions, the ranked top 30 countries in COVID-19 cases/deaths and alcohol consumption coincide. This coincidence is not fortuitous nor surprising, because excessive alcohol consumption is known to have pernicious effects on social behavior, i.e. lead to deviant and irresponsible behavior that greatly promotes transmission, like dropping the mask, gather in large numbers, and keep in very close contact.