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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JANUARY 05, 2024 | The Indian Eye 22

NYC HEALTH DEPARTMENT URGES

HEALTHY CHOICES FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE

Help is available at 988 for anyone who needs support

OUR BUREAU avoid using alone. Create an over-
dose safety plan with someone who
New York, NY
knows you are going to use and who
s New Year’s Eve celebrations could call 911 in case of an overdose
begin this weekend, the Health or emergency. If you are going to use
ADepartment reminds New alone, call the “Never Use Alone”
Yorkers to take care of themselves hotline at 1-877-696-1996 before
and others. “Celebrate, and cele- using so someone can monitor your
brate safely, New York”, said Health safety by phone. If you do use drugs
Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. use a small amount first.
“We want New Yorkers to have a Avoid mixing drugs or mixing
good time, while taking precautions drugs and alcohol. Using different
and making smart decisions to stay drugs together, including alcohol, in-
safe. Everyone should start 2024 on a creases your risk of overdose. If you
healthy note!” do, go slow and use a small amount
Here are some tips from the first.
NYC Health Department to have a Whether or not you use drugs,
safer New Year’s Eve: carry naloxone, a safe medication
“No matter how you cele- that can reverse an opioid overdose.
brate, help prevent the spread of If you are using drugs, leave naloxone
COVID-19, flu and RSV by getting out where others can find it.
vaccinated, staying home and testing Fentanyl—a potent opioid— is
if you don’t feel well, and remem- commonly found in drugs sold as her-
bering to wash your hands. To find oin or dope. It has also been identified
a vaccination site, visit NYC Vac- in cocaine, ketamine, methamphet-
cine Finder or call 212-COVID19 offer low- to no-cost HIV and STI If you are not able to walk, use a des- amine, pills from non-pharmaceu-
(212-268-4319). It is safe to get a services to anyone ages 12 or older, ignated driver, public transportation, tical sources including benzodiaze-
COVID-19 vaccine at the same time regardless of immigration status. For or taxi. Eat dinner first and enjoy pines (such as Xanax or Klonopin)
as a flu shot. more information on sexual health snacks throughout the evening. Pace and opioid painkillers (such as oxy-
If you are going to have sex, and where to access services, visit yourself and drink non-alcoholic bev- codone or Vicodin). Fentanyl poses
choose the safer sex strategies that nyc.gov/sexualhealth. erages to stay hydrated. And please, an overdose risk to anyone who uses
work for you, including condoms, If you’re going to drink alcohol, be mindful of the medications you are drugs containing fentanyl. Individ-
PrEP and emergency PEP to prevent try to decide ahead of time how much taking and whether they may increase uals who lack tolerance are at even
HIV, and doxy-PEP to prevent cer- you plan to consume and how you the effects of alcohol on your body. higher risk of overdose if their drugs
tain STIs. Our Sexual Health Clinics plan to get home safely, if traveling. If you are going to use drugs, contain fentanyl.”

6 of Andhra Pradesh family die as car collides with truck in Texas

OUR BUREAU collided head-on with a truck having two occupants
The victims were all relatives of YSR Con- on Highway 67, a farm-to-market road in Cleburne
Cleburne City, TX City in Texas.
hristmas holiday turned tragic for a family gress Party MLA in Indian state According to the MLA, his uncle and family
from Andhra Pradesh as its six members lived in Atlanta. They were returning home after vis-
Cwere killed in a road accident in Texas in iting some relatives in Texas on Christmas holiday.
the US. The deceased were relatives of YSR Con- The accident occurred around 4 pm on December
gress Party MLA from Mummidivaram, P Venkata 26 when a truck rammed into their car. The MLA
Satish Kumar. said the truck was being driven in the wrong direc-
The victims were identified as P Nageswara tion, that led to the accident. The MLA said the
Rao, uncle of the MLA, Nageswara Rao’s wife local police confirmed that the truck was at fault.
Seetha Mahalakshmi, daughter Naveena, grand- Both the occupants of the truck were also in-
son Kruthik and granddaughter Nishitha. Another jured and airlifted to a hospital.
person also lost life in the accident. Lone survivor, Telugu Association of North America (TANA)
Lokesh, son-in-law of Nageswara Rao, was injured treasurer Kolla Ashok Babu and Telugu founda-
and airlifted to a hospital, where his condition is tion treasurer Polavarapu Srikanth are extending
said to be critical. necessary assistance to bring the bodies to India,
Seven people were travelling in the car when it the family said.

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