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The number of HIV infections has dropped dramatically this year. Has the corona pandemic influenced sexual behavior?
According to the latest figures, still provisional, from the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG), 234 HIV infections have been registered so far this year. That’s a good third less than a year ago.
Nathan Schocher, HIV expert at Aids-Hilfe Schweiz, gives SRF several reasons for this development: “Either people have had fewer HIV tests or fewer risky contacts, that is, fewer unprotected sexual contacts.”
Almost as many tests as before the pandemic
There is much to be said for the latter. After the closure in spring, HIV testing is now almost as frequent as before the pandemic.
For the expert, therefore, it is clear that Corona has changed sexual behavior, albeit in part unintentionally: “Many meeting places are being eliminated, clubs and bars are closing, and there is a curfew. That influences the sexual behavior of people “.
In contrast, BAG remains cautious. At SRF’s request, the health department only admits that it is “plausible” that the lower numbers are related to the corona pandemic.
“It cannot be ruled out that the population was less at risk from Corona, which means that people were less exposed. There are currently no updated data on the sexual behavior of the population. So we can only speculate, ”continues BAG.
The expert hopes that the number of infections will decrease
Although the health department has stated that the number of HIV infections has risen again after the shutdown, Schocher is confident that the positive development will continue: “With HIV, it is particularly contagious in the first few weeks immediately after infection. So naturally the number of other contacts a newly infected person has had plays a role. “
Given that sexual contacts have declined due to the corona in recent months, the expert expects a lasting decline in HIV infections.
