Don't Be Silly Wrap Your...........
A 76 per cent increase in STI detections has been recorded this year.
New figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre show chlamydia and gonorrhea are among the most common infections.
All Rise
House prices, groceries, the price of a pint. They're all on the rise.
Add to the mix - Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
New HPSC figures show a jump of more than 76 per cent across the board.
Stephen O'Hare from HIV Ireland says one of the reasons is the release of free home testing kits:
"People can order a test kit to their home and test for a number of different STIs."
Screenings
Over 3,200 positive cases have been recorded in the first seven weeks of 2023.
Sexual Health specialist Dr Derek Freedman advises testing outside home kits:
"They only test for a narrow spectrum of infections."
Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare accounted for more than half of overall positive detections.
UCD Welfare Officer Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich has this advice for those with STI issues:
"Don't be afraid to go to the doctor and say I have an itch here or a problem there."
"There is no shame in it, it's the same as getting a cold or a flu."
Free Home testing kites can be ordered online at sh24-dot-ie.
