HIV and AIDS were the subject matter discussed at Bakersfield College’s second annual awareness symposium of the same name. The event took place at the renegade event center on Nov. 29 and featured presentations by Shantell Waldo and Joseph Leahy.
The first speaker Shantell Waldo was with Kern County Public Health (KCPH). She began by tackling the common misunderstanding between HIV and AIDS, noting that HIV is a virus and is what can be sexually contracted, whereas AIDS is the result of untreated HIV and cannot be spread.
Furthermore, local statistics for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) were shared, with the rate of HIV/AIDS cases having increased by over 114% in the last 20 years.
She ended by highlighting the services that KCPH offers; which includes a full-service health clinic, a mobile health clinic, walk-in rapid HIV testing, partner services, housing options for people with AIDS, and so much more.
KCPH were also offering free on-site HIV testing for anyone who was present and willing.
The second speaker Joseph Leahy, who serves as a Senior Community Liaison for Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson who is essentially an HIV ambassador, began by stating that “[HIV] shouldn’t prevent you to do anything” and that it is “no longer a death sentence.”
He followed by outlining the history of HIV/AIDS since its first identified case in 1981. Importantly, he noted that anyone can get HIV, not only homosexual males, contrary to popular stereotypes.
Continuing, the 2016 U=U campaign was discussed, which spread the little-known fact that once a person living with HIV is on treatment and reaches an undetectable level of the virus, they are then untransmittable.
PrEP, and PEP medications were also mentioned. With PrEP being a prevention method against contracting HIV and is taken before and after having sexual intercourse with a person living with HIV. Whereas PEP is taken directly after being exposed to HIV.
Concludingly, Dec. 1 marks the 35 commemoration of World AIDS Awareness Day, with the slogan in the United States theme being “remember and commit.”