Whether it’s from boredom, stress or anxiety, the sale of alcohol has reportedly increased by 291 per cent during the coronavirus pandemic. During these unprecedented times, much of the world’s population have been asked to self-isolate by remaining indoors. The outcome of the lockdown is unknown but, according to researchers, increased alcohol use could give rise to a second health crisis. They have now launched an anonymous survey , to find out how much people’s drinking habits might have changed. Dr Matt Parker and Dr Lorenzo Stafford, from the University of Portsmouth, are leading the research. Dr Parker said: “The potential public health effects of long-term isolation on alcohol use and misuse are unknown. Alcohol misuse is one of the leading causes of preventable mortality, contributing annually to about three million deaths worldwide. “This period of isolation might lead to a spike in alcohol misuse and potentially, development of addiction in at-risk individuals o...