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Williamsport, Pennsylvania – The coronavirus pandemic isn’t the only virus that has taken the lives of countless millions of people.
On June 5, 1981, Americans heard the first sounds of what would soon become the AIDS epidemic. Few could have predicted the widespread havoc this new virus was about to take on the world.
It has been 40 years since an article published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicated that five previously healthy gay men in Los Angeles were suddenly very ill with a rare lung infection.
Shortly after this was published, there were reports of more gay men in hospitals who were diagnosed with Pneumocystis Carinii pneumonia, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and other opportunistic infections.
The phrase “gay cancer” was printed the following month in a New York Times article, which set the tone across the country that the virus only affects gay men.
In May 1982, the virus was called “Gay-Related Immune Deficiency” or “GRID”, which perpetuated the idea that it exclusively affected the gay community. As more doctors and scientists began to learn more about this virus, they found that it also affects many heterosexual people, people with hemophilia, people who use intravenous drugs, and health professionals. sex.
The term “AIDS” or “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome” became the official name of the virus in November 1982. Although the name has changed, the stigma has remained the same. The stigma of HIV is still widespread today despite the wealth of information available on the virus.
The early years were incredibly difficult for people who feared they would get sick or lose a loved one to AIDS-related illnesses. As people fought for their lives, former President Ronald Reagan remained silent. He did not speak publicly about AIDS until September 1985. During his years of inaction, thousands of people were diagnosed with AIDS and died.
“It has been four decades since the HIV epidemic began in the United States. June 5, 1981, marks the day the CDC published an article about 5 young gay men hospitalized with similar symptoms. tough times, but there have also been many scientific breakthroughs that have changed everything for people living with HIV, ”said Megan Bloom, public relations manager for Aids Resource, which has offices in Williamsport and State College.
As Reagan finished his last term as president in 1988, Aids Resource opened in Williamsport. Since its inception, the agency has provided free services to people living with HIV or AIDS, free testing and prevention tools, and free educational programs for the community. The organization has added a branch of State College and currently provides a range of services to individuals in 10 rural Pennsylvania counties.
During the last four decades of the HIV epidemic, there have been many challenges, but there have been many positives. Antiretroviral drugs have helped people living with HIV live long and healthy lives. There is now a new monthly injection available as an alternative to taking daily pills.
PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis, was introduced in 2012 as a new way to prevent HIV in people at high risk of becoming HIV positive. There is also PEP, post-exposure prophylaxis, which is taken within 72 hours of potential exposure to HIV. It is taken daily for a month to prevent the transmission of HIV.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases made a statement in 2019 that when a person living with HIV has an undetectable viral load – a low amount of HIV in their body – they cannot sexually transmit the virus to another person. The phrase “Undetectable is equivalent to non-transferable” was invented by the HIV community, HIV support organizations and medical professionals who specialize in infectious diseases.
“A lot of times people hear the phrase ‘HIV’ and that’s an instant red flag – they think ‘AIDS’, they think death. This is no longer true. People are more than their race, their religion, their gender, sexual orientation or HIV-status, ”said Chris Benson, a native of Lycoming County.
Benson serves on the HIV Planning Group of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the state board that oversees the HIV prevention and care plan for the Commonwealth, which supports the care infrastructure across the country. State needed to help people living with HIV and those at risk of infection.
HIV stands for “Human Immunodeficiency Virus”.
“It means I’m luckier than the rest, say, as a friend with cancer. HIV only means that my immune system is probably weaker than other people’s. Being “undetectable” is similar to remission. my personal life. Being HIV positive allowed me to instantly know who understands and who doesn’t, ”Benson said.
“It is no longer necessary to stigmatize others. Old fears should no longer be fears. People need to hear the pure and honest truth from God about HIV: if you are undetectable, you simply cannot transmit HIV. It’s as simple as that. Get tested often or seek treatment. You will be taken care of and we will also end this virus, ”Benson explained.
In 2020, the US Department of Health and Human Services released a plan to end the HIV epidemic in 10 years. The goals are to reduce new HIV infections by 75% by 2025 and at least 90% by 2030. To achieve these goals, the steps are to diagnose all people living with HIV as early as possible , treat them quickly and help them achieve lasting viral suppression. , the prevention of new HIV transmissions and the rapid response to potential HIV epidemics.
Pennsylvania is on track to have nearly 50,000 HIV cases by 2025, which is in line with national targets.
“Pennsylvania has one of the best-designed prevention and care plans in the Northeastern United States, and it’s a testament to how seriously we take public health in our state. We prioritize and redirect resources and services as these needs come to the fore. of us, ”Benson continued. “The end of the game is a cure for HIV and we’re almost there. The goal is there is no longer a need for an HIV prevention and care plan.”
For more information on the Pennsylvania HIV Planning Group.
AIDS Resource, which has offices in Williamsport and State College, serves a 10-county radius of central Pennsylvania. AIDS Resource provides free and confidential HIV / STD testing and clinical case management services.
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