Faust JS, Du C, Mayes KD, et al. - Researchers aimed at assessing how external causes of death has changed because of the initial COVID-19 outbreak in the US that caused disruptions in usual behavioral patterns. For this purpose, they determined the monthly trends from 2015 to 2020 in deaths resulting from drug overdoses, homicide, unintentional injuries, motor vehicle crashes, and suicide in the first 6 months of the pandemic. As per provisional mortality data, there had been an increase in deaths from some, but not all external causes, during the pandemic, which represented thousands of lives lost and exceeded pre pandemic trends. Economic stress may be the reason for the drug overdoses and homicides. Mortality from overdoses may have increased because of pandemic-associated changes in access to substance use disorder treatments. Despite increases in drivers testing positive for drugs and alcohol and lower seat belt use, a decrease in motor vehicle crash deaths was reported in April which coincided with less traffic. Increase in traffic during June to August (though still below 2019 levels) correlated with increases in motor vehicle crash deaths, likely reflecting higher-risk behaviors. During the pandemic, reports of lower than projected suicide deaths are paradoxical with works describing increases in depressive and other mental health symptoms.