For a mobile HIV screening laboratory, a blood sample is taken. David McNew/Getty Images
Experts warn that COVID-19 has made it more difficult to combat the increasing number of sexually transmitted diseases in America.
One expert stated that condom use is declining and that testing is not as easy.
The CDC reported that STD rates in the US reached an all-time high for the sixth consecutive year.
Top US experts in public health have warned that the COVID-19 epidemic has hampered efforts to combat record-breaking numbers of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
David C. Harvey, executive Director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, a non profit focused on sexual health, stated to the Guardian that STI rates were at their highest point in American history. He said that this trend has been maintained through the current pandemic.
Harvey stated that there was a "massive interruption in our ability to treat and test Americans during the pandemic" and that this exacerbated the problem. He also said that the US had not made enough investments in public health programs to educate Americans about the dangers of STIs.
STIs can cause symptoms in some cases, but not all, especially for women. Therefore, testing is required to detect them. If untreated, STIs can lead to infertility, death, and cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly $16 billion is spent each year on STIs in the US.
In April, the CDC reported that the number of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the US was at an all time high for the sixth consecutive year. It said that preliminary 2020 data showed "many of these worrying trends continued in 2020" as much of the country was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
STI is the organism that causes sexual contact to infect another person. STD is the disease caused by that organism.
The US Senate Appropriations Committee announced a $5million federal funding increase "to combat sexually transmitted diseases", $100 million more for a CDC HIV initiative and $20 million for STD clinics. After a report that it commissioned, the CDC launched its first national STI Strategy in July. It was based on the findings of a study that found US sexual health was underfunded, stigmatized and isolated.
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Harvey stated that the US would see an increase in STIs if it didn't have a massive national effort and more funding. The Guardian reported.
Official US statistics indicated that STIs declined during the heights of the pandemic, but officials believe that this is due to a large number not being detected. This could be due to a lack of testing and sexual health clinics being closed as staff were diverted to COVID-19 services. However, infection rates may have decreased because people were less likely to have sex with their new partners during lockdowns.
Ina Park, an associate professor at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and a researcher on STIs, stated to the Guardian that there is no reason to believe that we won't return to what we saw before the pandemic.
Park explained to the Guardian that people have returned to pre-pandemic sexual behavior, but they are less likely to use condoms and testing isn’t as easy.
She stated, "Bottom line: STIs did not go anywhere and will come back."
Business Insider has the original article.
