Public service muna tayo.
According to the National Youth Commission, 25 out of 29 new HIV infections each day involve people from 15 to 30 years old. Twenty-nine new infections a day are a far cry from one new infection a day in 2008. More than 7,700 new cases have been reported this year, and as you're reading this, the numbers are rising.
Why am I saying this? I think that we can do our part in spreading awareness. There's little effort on the part of the government to educate people about HIV/AIDS. Lack of awareness is what puts young people in danger. Myths abound.
Three Main Ways of HIV Transmission
1. Unprotected sexual contact with an HIV/AIDS-infected person
2. Blood transfusion involving an HIV/AIDS-infected donor
3. Mother-to-child transmission (pregnancy)
One of the things we can do is to end the misconception that HIV/AIDS is a gay disease. While it affects a lot of men who have sex with men. It's not a gay plague. Two gay men who don't have HIV can have sex all day and not get the infection.
What really raises your risk of getting HIV is engaging in unprotected sex, especially with multiple partners.
Another thing that we can do is be responsible.
1. Regular HIV testing, especially for sexually active folks
2. Being in a monogamous relationship
3. Using protection (e.g. condoms)
What about our friends with HIV/AIDS?
All right, we can help stop the stigma. HIV/AIDS doesn't get passed around by handshakes, sneezes, hugs, or even kisses (unless they or you have mouth sores). We encourage people with HIV to get antiretroviral treatment. Ask your LGUs about this. Or go to your local social hygiene clinic. Perhaps our friends in healthcare practice can add key details (e.g. toniejay27 and CovertSolace).
In most cases, ART is effective in keeping a person with HIV healthy. Proper management keeps the CD4 count within the healthy range, thus keeping the immune system healthy and avoiding opportunistic infections that usually come during the latter stages of the condition (AIDS).
Stop the stigma.
End the hate.
Having said these things, let me say a bit of a disclaimer. I know you've read intimate scenes between key characters in my stories. Those are just part of the stories and are neither suggestive nor prescriptive in nature. I don't advocate unsafe sex. Always be responsible.
Mabuhay!
Bukas na ang update.
YOU ARE READING
Enchanted Series 4: This Is It!
RomanceAs you can see in the cover, m2m o boyxboy po ang story na ito. So kung hindi ka komportable na makabasa ng intimate scenes sa pagitan ng dalawang lalaki, huwag ka na magpatuloy. Hindi ako makapagdesisyon kung ilalagay ko siya sa Romance o Humo...
