Coronavirus: Lockdown ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ to break chain of STIs in Britain
Written by News on 14/05/2020
The coronavirus lockdown is a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to break the chain of sexually transmitted diseases in the UK, an expert has told Sky News.
Since Britain went on lockdown in March, clinics have seen the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) plummet to around 20% of normal levels.
But with people largely confined to their homes and unable to pass undetected STIs onto anyone outside their household, if they get tested and treated before restrictions lift, it could stop the spread of HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea like never before, clinicians say.
Dr John McSorley, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) told Sky News: “COVID-19 has had an effect on people’s personal lives in that they are not having sex with anyone outside their household and many are not having sex at all.
“This offers an unusual, once in a lifetime opportunity to break the chain of infection of STIs.”
Leading sexual health clinic 56 Dean Street said widespread lockdown testing could help eradicate HIV nationwide.
Dr McSorley added that in normal circumstances, tests can be inaccurate because infections within the last four to six weeks do not show up.
But with the possibility of New Zealand-style “social bubbles” and people visiting other households still a considerable way off in the UK, lockdown test results are currently far more reliable.
He said: “With the overwhelming majority of the population adhering to government guidelines, an inaccurate result is now very unlikely and people can get tested and treated before they become sexually active again and risk infecting others.”
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BASHH and other sexual health charities have called on NHS commissioners to rollout online testing services to other parts of the country beyond London and major cities.
They are mainly targeting their calls for testing at people in their 20s and 30s as well as members of the LGBT community.
Self-testing kits present almost no risk of catching coronavirus as they can be done at home and sent in the post, with treatment also available on a postal or click and collect basis, Dr McSorley said.
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Lockdown ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ to break chain of STIs in Britain
