TWO committed campaigners have “given HIV the finger” in a bid to encourage more people to get tested at home for the human immunodeficiency virus.
As part of a national HIV testing week, Chloe Walls, from Barnard Castle, and Emma Rowell, from Cotherstone, underwent a finger-prick HIV test in the comfort of their own homes to raise awareness of the need for testing.
Ms Walls said: “I’m the LGBT+ officer for the Bishop Auckland Constituency Labour Party and Emma is the women’s officer.
“We ordered the free tests and photographed ourselves taking them to show just how easy the process is.”
She added: “I’m passionate about this issue as an LGBT+ woman myself, both because of the historical ties between our community and HIV and because men who have sex with men are still disproportionately diagnosed.”
The HIV virus damages cells in the body’s immune system, weakening the ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
HIV can be transmitted from one person to another.
Although there is no cure for HIV, there are effective drug treatments that enable most people with the virus to live long and healthy lives.
According to Public Health England, new HIV diagnoses have continued to fall, but 42 per cent of all diagnoses were late rather than at an early stage.
Those who are diagnosed later face an eight-fold increased risk of mortality.
Ms Walls added: “For Emma, as women’s officer, she’s concerned by the fact that while in 2019 HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men fell by 18 per cent, diagnoses among women only fell by four per cent.
“Women need to bear in mind that they can still be affected.
“We’re very lucky to live in a world where those who are HIV positive can receive treatment that ensures they live happy and healthy lives, and therefore it’s always better to know if you are.
“The most recent estimate suggests there were 105,200 people living with HIV in the UK in 2019. Included in this are about 6,600 people who are undiagnosed so do not know they are HIV positive. This is why testing is so important.”
Free HIV tests, which come with a freepost envelope, can be ordered from www. freetesting.hiv and results are available within 72 hours of their arrival at the lab.
