Senate Confirms Vivek Murthy as Surgeon General, Prioritizing COVID and Opioid Overdose Crisis
His public health messaging spotlights a dual emergency that local recovery efforts counter through virtual meetings plus alcohol-free social spaces.
Overview
- The Senate confirmed Dr. Vivek Murthy as President Joe Biden's surgeon general, according to Associated Press reporting carried by KEYE.
- Murthy named ending the coronavirus pandemic as his top priority and warned about a relapsing opioid overdose crisis.
- Recovery leaders in Texas reported pandemic-driven challenges, with an Infinite Recovery official calling addiction "just as big of a pandemic" as COVID.
- Twelve-step programs moved to virtual formats during the pandemic as participants emphasized that isolation increases the risk of relapse.
- Austin responses included alcohol-free "sober bars" to maintain social connections without common triggers, alongside physician-cited figures of over 2 million Americans with opioid use disorder and about 130 overdose deaths each day.