Prevention is Power
How to stop the spread
Education is the best way to stop the spread of HIV. Spread awareness amongst your family and friends.
Safe Sex
Practice safe sex! HIV is a sexually transmitted disease and its particles are carried by semen. When semen enters the vagina and anus during anal sex HIV particles are deposited in the body. The best way to prevent HIV particles entering the body during sex is with the use of condoms. There are many different types of condoms, glow in the dark, edible, flavored, polyisoprene, latex, lambskin, textured condoms and many more. Latex condoms are the best condoms to use to decrease the spread of HIV because HIV particles cannot cross latex condoms but can pass through condoms made from animal skin. If you are allergic to latex condoms the best alternative is polyisoprene condoms. Polyisoprene condoms are prone to slip off more than latex condoms however they are still very effective in preventing STIs.
Avoid Sharing Used Needles
HIV isn't only spread through sexual contact. HIV particles also reside in the blood. Injection drug users should avoid sharing needles at all cost. Sharing needles deposit the other person's blood in your bloodstream, whatever illness their blood contains will now be deposited in your body. If you are an injection drug user find a local Needle exchange program near you. These programs provide clean needles in exchange for used ones to injection drug users. If there isn't a program near you disinfect the needle and syringe with bleach and water before and after each use. Cleaning injection site with alcohol, using sterile water to prepare drugs and disinfected containers will also lower the risk of spreading HIV.
Get Tested
Get Tested! How can you prevent the spread of something you didn't know you had? According to the CDC people who don't know they have HIV accounts for 40% of new HIV infections. If a person does not know they have HIV they can be unintentionally spreading HIV. When you are tested and get treatment to decrease the amount of virus in the body this will lower the risk of transmission. Have an open conversation and make sure both you and your partner get tested. Look for local free testing centers around your area.
PreEP & PEP
Is there a preventative pill to lower the risk of HIV contraction?
Yes, there are two drug Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
PrEP, commonly known as Truvada, is a daily pill for people who are HIV negative and are at high risk of contracting HIV.
These include
Partners with one person that is HIV positive and the other HIV negative
Couples with HIV that are trying to conceive.
Injection Drug users
People with multiple sex partners
PEP is for emergency use for those who are HIV negative and were exposed to HIV. PEP must be taken 72 hours after exposure or sooner. PEP will not be effective if taken after 72 hours. After PEP is prescribed, infected patients will take antiretroviral medication for 28 days to prevent viral replication.