London, United Kingdom Jun 29, 2021 (Issuewire.com) - As previous lockdown measures were eased, experts found a correlation between measures being lifted and the increase in the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Experts predict a sharp rise in the number of STIs and stress the importance of sexual health testing this summer as the UK prepares to remove the nationwide lockdown. Vitall provides easy at-home testing for a range of health issues, including sexual health.
Surveys conducted by the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) found that sexual health clinics tended to get busier as lockdown measures were eased. Therefore the UK’s sexual health services will experience an increased workload over the next few months.
Concerns had already been raised surrounding the delays and cancellations to many sexual health tests due to the coronavirus outbreak such as cervical screening. In addition, thanks to COVID-19, large numbers of staff had to be seconded to different departments to help deal with the increased pressure on the NHS. This has meant that the nation’s sexual health has gone largely unchecked for the last 17 months.
As lockdown restrictions are slowly lifted, there has been a noticeable increase in the burden on sexual health clinics. President of BASHH, Dr. John McSorley, who works in west London, has seen a dramatic increase in appointments, while clinics in Brentford, Harrow and Ealing have seen 5% increases in attendance week on week.
Ben Starling, the co-founder of Vitall, advised that “if people are concerned about their sexual health based on the potential surge in infections, then they can use at-home STI testing to gain peace of mind without visiting the local sexual health clinic”.
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