Harm reduction is a public health approach that emphasizes reducing the negative effects of drug use rather than eliminating it. It has been practiced for decades; however, the COVID-19 pandemic poses new challenges for people who use drugs (PWUD) and harm reduction providers. In the United States, public health recommendations to curb the pandemic are complicating harm reduction efforts. Harm reduction programs are rethinking how they engage with PWUD to comply with these recommendations while also providing essential services. In this article, we draw on academic literature, news articles, and information distributed by harm reduction programs to discuss issues currently faced by PWUD and harm reduction providers across the country. This discussion focuses on policy changes and programming adaptations related to three harm reduction interventions—syringe services programs, overdose prevention, and medications for opioid use disorder—that have emerged or gained traction during the pandemic. We argue that anthropologists should play a key role in addressing the obstacles and opportunities for harm reduction in the United States during and post-pandemic. Ethnographic research can generate important knowledge of how pandemic-related service and policy changes are localized by providers and experienced by PWUD and uncover how race, class, and gender may shape access to and experiences with modified harm reduction services. Applied anthropologists also have an important role in collaborating with harm reduction programs to ensure that the voices of marginalized individuals are not ignored as policy and programming changes take place during and after the pandemic.

中文翻译：

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在减少危害和 COVID-19 的交叉点：人类学家在大流行期间和之后的作用

减少危害是一种公共卫生方法，强调减少而不是消除药物使用的负面影响。它已经实践了几十年；然而，COVID-19 大流行给吸毒者 (PWUD) 和减害提供者带来了新的挑战。在美国，遏制大流行的公共卫生建议使减少危害的努力变得复杂。减少危害计划正在重新考虑如何与 PWUD 合作，以遵守这些建议，同时提供基本服务。在本文中，我们利用减少危害计划分发的学术文献、新闻文章和信息来讨论 PWUD 和全国减少危害提供者当前面临的问题。本次讨论的重点是与在大流行期间出现或获得关注的三种减害干预措施（注射器服务计划、过量预防和阿片类药物使用障碍药物）相关的政策变化和规划调整。我们认为，人类学家应该在解决美国在大流行期间和之后减少危害的障碍和机会方面发挥关键作用。人种学研究可以产生重要的知识，了解与流行病相关的服务和政策变化如何由提供者本地化并由 PWUD 体验，并揭示种族、阶级和性别如何影响对改进的减害服务的访问和体验。