Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Resources and information

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a global challenge whose ramifications are serious and difficult to accurately predict. Communities targeted by the "war on drugs", living in situations of vulnerability, experiencing exclusion, stigmatisation and criminalisation, will bear a differentiated and disproportionate burden of the negative consequences associated with the pandemic. Below, you will find a thematic list of information and guidance resources that we will continue to update in the coming weeks as a means to promote resilience and solidarity.

Versions of this page are also available in Spanish and French.

General Information

Rolling updates and guidance on coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
World Health Organisation

Coronavirus response
European Commission

COVID-19 resource centre
The Lancet

How to self isolate / How to self monitor symptoms
Public Health Ontario

COVID-19 Stories of Substance archive
IDPC

Civic space and COVID-19: Guidance
OHCHR

People who use drugs

COVID-19 harm reduction for people who use drugs
International Network of People who Use Drugs, in collaboration with TalkingDrugs | The Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs has shared this poster-infographic by COVID-for-PWUD with the recommendations.

COVID 19: Advice for People who Use Drugs leaflet
European Network of People who Use Drugs (EuroNPUD) | Available in many languages

Safer drug use during the COVID-19 outbreak
Harm Reduction Coalition

Statement by the UN expert on the right to health* on the protection of people who use drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic
UN Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mentalhealth

COVID-19 - HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for people who use drugs and people in prison
UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

The implications of COVID-19 for people who use drugs (PWUD) and drug service providers
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

Coronavirus harm reduction advice
Metzineres

Contingency planning for people who use drugs and COVID-19
Scottish Drugs Forum

Party and drugs in times of coronavirus
Energy Control

COVID-19 disease - A message for Young People Who Use Drugs
Youth RISE

Message from the President of the INCB on the COVID-19 pandemic
INCB

In the time of COVID-19: Civil Society Statement on COVID-19 and People who use Drugs
INPUD

COVID-19 and people who use drugs
Pompidou Group

Harm reduction and health services

COVID-19 Guidance for people who use drugs and harm reduction programs
Harm Reduction Coalition

How harm reducers cope with COVID-19
Rights Reporter Foundation

Harm reduction must go on: Position of European harm reduction networks on COVID-19
Correlation - European Harm Reduction Network, Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) and Rights Reporter Foundation.

Harm reduction responses to COVID-19 in Europe
Rights Reporter Foundation

Syringe services and harm reduction provider operations during COVID-19
Harm Reduction Coalition

Coronavirus and drug harm reduction
Transform

Drug treatment and COVID-19
Release

Guidance on Managing Heroin Dependence during COVID-19 & Lockdowns
TBHIV Care

Practicing harm reduction in the COVID-19 outbreak
Vital Strategies

Human rights

COVID-19 and human rights
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights | The piece highlights important statements made by UN Special Procedures with regard to a range of issues, including racism and xenophobia, housing and disabilities.

Rights in the time of COVID-19: Lessons from HIV for an effective, community-led response
UNAIDS

Practical guide to inclusive rights-focused responses to COVID-19 in the Americas
Organization of American States (OAS)

Human rights dimensions of COVID-19 response
Human Rights Watch

COVID-19: Governments must promote and protect access to and free flow of information during pandemic – International experts
Statement by UN human rights monitors, the IACHR and the Representative on Freedom of the Media of the OSCE

COVID-19: States should not abuse emergency measures to suppress human rights – UN experts
Statement by UN human rights experts

No exceptions with COVID-19: “Everyone has the right to life-saving interventions” – UN experts say
Statement by UN human rights experts

Press Statement: UNAIDS condemns misuse and abuse of emergency powers to target marginalized and vulnerable populations
UNAIDS

Prison settings and people deprived of liberty

Coronavirus: Healthcare and human rights of people in prisons
Penal Reform International

Position Paper: COVID-19 preparedness and responses in prisons
UNODC

Interim Guidance - COVID-19: Focus on Persons Deprived of Their Liberty
Inter-Agency Standing Committee, OHCHR & WHO

UNODC, WHO, UNAIDS, OHCHR joint statement on COVID-19 in prisons and other closed settings
UNODC, WHO, UNAIDS, OHCHR

COVID-19: Prisons and detention in Southeast Asia
International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)

AFEW International asks international organisations to take immediate action
AFEW International

Urgent action needed to prevent COVID-19 “rampaging through places of detention” – Bachelet
OHCHR

IACHR urges States to guarantee the health and integrity of persons deprived of liberty and their families in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)

COVID-19 and persons deprived of liberty information hub
Association for Prevention of Torture

Prevention of arbitrary deprivation of liberty in the context of public health emergencies
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

COVID-19, Prisons and Drug Policy: Global Scan March-June 2020
Harm Reduction International

Rough sleeping, homelessness, shelters

Guidance for hostel or daycare providers of services for people experiencing rough sleeping
Public Health England

Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for substance misuse and homelessness services
Welsh Government

COVID-19 & the Health Care for the Homeless Community: Needed Policy Responses for a High-Risk Group
National Health Care for the Homeless Council

Protecting people experiencing homelessness from the coronavirus
St Mungo’s

People living with HIV

What people living with HIV need to know about HIV and COVID-19
UNAIDS

COVID-19 and HIV
Frontline AIDS

Coronavirus information for people with blood-borne viruses
Penington Institute

Surveys and other data-collection instruments

Survey on COVID-19 - In English, Spanish and French
IDPC

Global Drug Survey special edition on COVID-19
Global Drug Survey

Impact of Coronavirus on Drug Purchases Survey
Release

Black LGBTQ Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact Survey
Global Black Gay Men Connect (GBGMC)

COVID-19 Impact Survey
Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP)

COVID-19: Survey for networks of people living with HIV, women living with HIV, & young people living with HIV
GNP+, ICY and Y+

Drug markets during COVID-19
Crew

A Global Survey on Public Sector Capabilities and Responses to the Pandemic
Transnational Institute

#TELODICOIO consumi e cambiamento covid 19 (in Italian)
ItaNPUD, Itardd, HRI

Impact of COVID-19 on patterns of drug use, harms and drug services in the European Union
European Web Survey on Drugs (EWSD)

Measuring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trans health & trans health care
Trans Care

Community-led responses in the time of COVID – UNAIDS global survey
UNAIDS

EMCDDA: Impact of COVID-19 on people who use drugs and drug services in the European Prisons
EMCDDA

Resource hubs by IDPC members, allies and public authorities

Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (Canada)
Penington Institute (Australia)
Vital Strategies (USA)
Correlation Network (Europe)
Scottish Drugs Forum (Europe)