Nearly 500 doses of free Naloxone distributed
WEST CHESTER >> Close to 500 Chester County residents responded to the offer of free doses of naloxone during Chester County’s Naloxone Giveaway Day.
Hosted by the Chester County Health Department and the County’s Department of Drug & Alcohol Services, Naloxone Giveaway Day is an annual event that is part of the PA Department of Health’s “Stop Overdoses in PA: Get Help Now” campaign.
The goal of the event is to increase awareness of, and access to the lifesaving medication, especially for those who feel they can benefit from having a dose of naloxone on hand, who may have a substance use disorder, or those who may encounter someone in crisis.
Naloxone, also known by the brand names Narcan or Evzio, is a medication that reverses opioid (prescription painkillers, fentanyl, and heroin) overdoses and gives the person a chance at recovery. When given during an opioid overdose, naloxone blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and restores breathing within minutes.
During Naloxone Giveaway Day — Sept. 18 — 498 doses were handed out at four locations in Chester County: the Chester County Library in Exton, Phoenixville Borough Hall, the Jennersville YMCA and ChesPenn at The Brandywine Center in Coatesville.
As a follow up to Naloxone Giveaway Day, the County will have available additional doses of the mediation, which can be collected on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at Chester County’s Government Services Center, 601 Westtown Road, West Chester, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Recipients will not have to provide any personal information to receive the naloxone. Distribution is on a first come, first served basis while supplies last, and just one naloxone dose is available per person.
Chester County remains committed to tackling the opioid and heroin epidemic and enhancing the recovery community through a collaborative approach coordinated by the Chester County Drug Overdose Task Force. The Task Force brings together the Chester County Commissioners’ Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the Health Department, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Services and many other County and community partners to address the issue of opioid addiction.
Throughout September, Chester County is recognizing National Recovery Month by hosting several community events, and the County will be holding its fourth annual Chester County Color 5K on Saturday, Oct. 5, in Everhart Park in West Chester. The event raises awareness, reduces the stigma of opioid abuse and raises funds to support overdose survivors, their families and friends through the Chester County’s COPE program. For more information on the Color 5K Walk/ Run,, and to register, go to www.chesco.org/color5k.