“May sound so basic but not always followed so as a reminder to let the public know the best way to prevent HIV is to understand how the virus is transmitted and take steps to reduce your risk. If you’re living with HIV, understanding these practices can help prevent transmission to others.

HIV can’t be transmitted through saliva or skin-to-skin contact, such as hugging or shaking hands. The virus can only be transmitted by exchanging certain bodily fluids, including genital secretions and blood.

As a result, transmission most frequently occurs during condomless sex or shared use of syringes and other drug injection equipment.

Adopting certain harm reduction strategies, including safer sex and safer substance use or better yet no substance use, can help reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting the virus.

Although you have up to 72 hours to begin PEP, the medication is less likely to be effective over time. Additional medication must also be taken consistently and correctly for 28 days.

If you don’t have a primary care doctor or another healthcare professional to reach out to, you may be able to get a prescription for PEP at your local: health department, sexual health clinic, urgent care center or emergency room.

Know approximately 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, according to HIV.gov. Of those people, 13% do not know they have it.  In 2021, there were 1,086,806 people living with HIV in the U.S. In 2021, 36,126 people were newly diagnosed with HIV.“

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