Preventing HIV

Preventing HIV

We can provide you with information, advice and support around preventing HIV.

Is it possible to prevent HIV transmission?

Very much so! There are a number of ways to prevent HIV transmission, whether you are living with HIV or not.

If you or your partner come into contact with any HIV infected bodily fluids whilst not taking the necessary steps to prevent HIV transmission, then there is a huge risk of getting HIV, which is why there are a number of ways to protect against HIV. 

• PrEP and PEP
• U=U
• Using protection 
• Who can be affected by HIV?

PrEP and PEP

There are pre-exposure (PrEP) and post-exposure (PEP) medication that can be taken to prevent HIV from being passed on during sexual contact. Both are free via the NHS, and can be prescribed by your GP or at your local sexual health clinic. 

• PrEP is a medication that someone who is HIV negative (doesn't have HIV) takes to stop HIV from being passed onto them. You must take PrEP daily for 7 days to give maximum protection.
• PEP is a medication that can be taken if someone thinks they might have come into contact with HIV, to stop the virus from taking hold. It must be taken within 72 hours of exposure for it to be effective. 

U=U

When a person living with HIV is on effective HIV treatment, they can achieve an 'undetectable' viral load. This is because the HIV treatment ART supresses the amount of HIV present in the blood, making the virus undetectable and therefore unable to be passed on. This is called U=U, which stands for Undetectable = Untransmittable.

It's still important to know that whilst this means HIV cannot be passed on, this doesn't mean the same for STIs so other forms of STI protection should be used during sexual activity, as well as regular STI testing. 

Using protection

Barrier method contraception, such as condoms, are effective at preventing HIV transmission during sexual activity when used correctly. This is because they create a sheath around the penis (or layer of separation across the vagina if using a dental dam) which prevents the mixing of bodily fluids. For barrier method contraception to work, it needs to be used during all types of sexual activity, not just during penetrative sex. 

Who can be affected by HIV?

HIV can happen to anyone, regardless of numbers of sexual partners, sexuality, age, race, education or financial status.  Overall, almost a third of people living with HIV are women, while nearly 40% of new HIV diagnosis in 2021 were transmitted via heterosexual couples and almost a quarter of new HIV diagnoses were in people aged 50+.  
You can’t tell someone has HIV just by looking at them, which makes it important to engage in protected sex if you/your partner are unsure of HIV status and access regular HIV and STI testing.

For more information, advice, guidance, and also access to our chaperone service to contraception related healthcare appointments, refer yourself for support from SASH.