Listen:
A St. Petersburg nonprofit is spreading the word about HIV prevention and treatments as diagnoses are rising in Pinellas County.
HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is an incurable, life-threatening virus that damages the body’s immune system and leaves a person vulnerable to infections. The only way you know if you have it is if you get tested.
World AIDS Day was on December 1st – but non-profit Love the Golden Rule says it’s more than just a date on a calendar.
The medical clinic hosted an event Friday in St. Petersburg to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. Free testing, flu vaccines, food, and educational materials were made available for attendees.
David Watson was diagnosed with HIV more than 16 years ago. He says he’s faced stigma.
“Just being completely ignored, or people just like, they didn’t even want to talk to you. They didn’t even want to socialize with you or know who you were, because they judged it as a dirty- something dirty,” Watson told WMNF.
But now he feels empowered to share his story.
“I feel it is my responsibility to help my community and to help anyone that is struggling with facing this as a challenge, and also bringing the word out there that HIV is not a death sentence like it was,” Watson said.
Love the Golden Rule founder Dr. Robert Wallace says HIV is a growing issue in Pinellas.
The county’s Department of Health Dashboard shows HIV rates for Black women more than tripled from 2021 to 2023. 2021 saw the lowest count of HIV Diagnoses for Black women in Pinellas, at 5. 2023 saw the highest, with 16.
Hispanic/Latino female HIV Diagnoses rates have doubled since 2019.
“We have to get out and educate people. We need people on treatment. We need patients on PrEP. We need young women of color, Latino and African American women to have access to PrEP.” Wallace told WMNF.
He said he fears those numbers will get worse with Florida’s recent anti-LGBTQ and anti-vaccine sentiments from top officials.
“Our fear coming in is what’s going to happen to the LGBTQ+ communities who’ve been working so hard to prevent these things,” Wallace said.
Wallace encourages people, especially young women of color, to get tested.
Leave a Reply
