New figures published by Public Health England this week have shown the Break the Chain campaign to be a success – finding 39 new HIV diagnosis and 109 people with syphilis. In June, July and August 2020, Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and 56 Dean Street ran a ‘Break the Chain’ campaign involving a wide-scale push on online HIV testing when a vast majority of people (84%) were abstaining from sex outside their immediate household because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
The results show a higher than average test positivity rate – 0.7%, compared to the 0.5% test positivity rate from online testing initiatives in 2019.
Dr Michael Brady, Medical Director at THT, said: “Everyone should know their HIV status – online testing makes it easy and it can be done without leaving the house. We applaud the huge numbers that came forward to test and ‘break the chain’ during the first few months of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The success of this HIV testing campaign can be measured not just in the higher than normal positivity rate but in the lives that will be changed for the better. It’s great that so many people previously living with undiagnosed HIV can now get access to life-changing treatment. With the right support, treatment will supress their HIV viral load so it becomes ‘undetectable’ – meaning they can’t pass the virus on to their partners.
“These new figures from PHE demonstrate why the HIV Commission (that reported on World AIDS Day 2020) was absolutely right to recommend an increase in HIV testing to end this epidemic and to push for HIV testing to be normalised across the NHS. We will ensure these data are considered when the government develops its HIV Action Plan in the early part of 2021.”
Dr Alan McOwan, Service Director at sexual health clinic 56 Dean Street, added: “We could all do with something positive to come out of 2020. This year’s COVID-19 lockdown was a once in a lifetime opportunity to break the chain of HIV infection.
“It was truly inspiring to watch the campaign catch the public mood and go viral. I’m delighted that so many people came forward to test as it is one of the most powerful tools we have to achieve our aim of ending HIV transmission in the UK by 2030.”
HIV testing activity was highest during PHE-funded periods in January and February 2020, which may have been a hangover from National HIV Testing Week 2019, and June and July 2020 (Break the Chain).
To see the figures in full, CLICK HERE