Bethany Bump is reporting for the Times Union Columbia County is reporting its second spike in opioid-related overdoses since the COVID-19 crisis hit New York. The county has seen 19 overdoses since March 1, the county Department of Health reported April 21. The dramatic increase is likely connected to the isolation people are facing from the closure of schools and workplaces, as well as social distancing protocols, the DOH said. “This incredible reduction in human physical contact that is saving the public’s health is also putting those in active addiction and those in recovery at risk,” the department said in a news release. The county urges individuals who are struggling with addiction to seek help, but encouraged those who feel they must use drugs to use safely and make sure they have access to naloxone, the opioid overdose-reversal drug. Anyone who needs naloxone is urged to call Greener Pathways at 518-822-7437. The county also reminded residents to call 911 if they see someone has overdosed. Fellow drug users can be protected by the Good Samaritan Law, it said. Help is available by calling Greener Pathways at 518-822-7437 or Columbia County Pathways to Recovery at 877-467-3365. In addition to Columbia County, overdoses are on the rise in Albany, Rensselaer and Greene counties, as well. Read the full story in the Times Union