The year 2020 was slated to see cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis hit record highs.
But it did not. Rather, the figures showed a downturn.
Is this good news?
Perhaps Covid-19 has kept people away from bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and parties – settings that provide opportunities for unsafe sex.
Experts in sexual health, however, tend to disagree.
They say the corona virus pandemic has severely impacted the efforts to lessen STIs or sexually transmitted infections.
“Cases are largely undetected”, says a doctor at an STI clinic in Arlington.
“It is a serious matter. Untreated STIs can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and even death in newborns”.
It is possible that health workers responsible for contact tracing of gonorrhea and syphilis have been diverted to Covid-19 cases – leading to an even more shortage of staff.
A majority of STD clinics have reported shutdowns or severely reduced working hours.
Medical professionals also believe many persons infected with a sexually transmitted infection are avoiding going for a test for fear of being exposed to Covid-19.
It is by now well-known that the most effective tool for control of STIs is timely diagnosis and treatment.
If people are unable or unwilling to access tests and treatment, this country may see a continued and unbridled increase in STI cases.
It is not surprising that the C.D.C. (The Center for Disease Control and Prevention) is alarmed.
The agency has issued alerts to medical professionals nationwide on the issue, with concurrent recommendations that screenings and testing must not see a let up.
Priorities must be accorded to women that are pregnant and or under the age of 25, and people who are at high risk.
The recommendations say, at the moment, routine testing can be deferred till Covid-19 restrictions are removed.
We must keep in mind that the reported cases of STIs at the beginning of 2020 were higher than those during the corresponding period in 2019.
With stay-at-home orders in place, the number of cases must have plummeted, but we may see a spurt when establishments open up.
It is possible that the corona virus outbreak may have moderated sexual activities on the whole. High levels of stress and anxiety may be contributing to lower desires.
With establishments closed, singles are finding fewer opportunities to hook up.
Yet, they say online dating apps are logging record downloads.
It is yet unclear whether this is translating into more sex.
Perhaps things are under wraps.
Messages of social events and gatherings during this pandemic suffer shaming and therefore people may be reluctant to disclose or discuss such matters.
The final say is, you must not ignore your sexual health, especially during these Covid-19 days.
As people gradually learn to live a new normal, you cannot afford to live with compromised immunity.
And mind you, an STI can compromise your immunity.
Put aside any hesitancy.
In Arlington, free STD testing and treatment sources are available. If not, you can schedule an appointment with a lab to get a sample collected and the results delivered to you.
You can also make use of an at-home testing kit. You ship it to a lab for analysis and get results via email or on the website.
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