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Opinion

AIDS is still with us. Thinking otherwise is dangerous

More than 19,000 Dallas County residents are currently living with HIV.

As we mark another World AIDS Day on Dec.1, I wish I could say we are only looking back and remembering those who have been lost to AIDS. But I can tell from the questions I receive on a daily basis that many people don’t know much about this devastating disease and where we stand in 2022. I welcome these questions, because each one offers an opportunity to educate and advocate for health equity. Here they are:

Do people still get AIDS?

Yes — AIDS is still with us. The Centers for Disease Control says more than 30,000 new HIV diagnoses were recorded in the U.S. in 2020 (the most recent figures we have) and Texas had the second-highest number of new diagnoses that year – 3,548 – more than Florida and New York. The CDC also estimates that more than 19,000 people in Dallas County are currently living with HIV or AIDS, and in 2020, 658 new cases were diagnosed in Dallas, though overall access to health care during the COVID-19 pandemic may have suppressed that number. About a quarter of new cases are in the 13-24 age range and 1 in 6 new diagnoses are among those 50 and older. A disproportionately high number of infections occurs among Blacks and Latinos, which emphasizes the health disparities in those communities and the need to dedicate more resources to education, prevention, linkage to care and treatment. The notion that people don’t still get AIDS is dangerous.

Can’t you just take a drug for AIDS and it’s fine?

You may have seen the ads on TV: undetectable = untransmissible (U=U). While there is no cure for someone who has HIV, it is possible with HIV treatment to get to an undetectable viral load, which prevents transmission to others through sex.

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However, stigma, discrimination and lack of access to care are roadblocks. Though HIV testing is covered under the ACA, many doctors don’t test for it because they still think it’s a “gay” disease, and they may not be knowledgeable about HIV or treatment protocols.

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Treatment is also very expensive. One study estimated that costs of antiretroviral care can run anywhere between $1,800 to $4,500 each month during a person’s lifetime. Most people simply can’t afford that or may not have access to assistance programs. And for those who don’t have insurance — and, by the way, Texas has the highest percentage of the uninsured in the nation — the costs can put lifesaving treatment out of reach.

Isn’t AIDS preventable?

In many ways, yes. Protected sex — using a condom — is not a new concept and preventative care protocols have come a long way. But we are very concerned about a movement to restrict access to medically recommended preventative care.

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In September, a federal judge in Fort Worth sided with a group of self-described Christian business owners who argued that Affordable Care Act requirements to cover HIV prevention drugs violate their religious freedom. The federal government is likely to appeal, but think of the far-reaching and life-threatening consequences that could have. It’s hard for me personally to understand how withholding life-saving medical care is a Christian value.

Do people even still need to be tested since AIDS is not so common now?

Yes, anyone who has unprotected sex or who injects drugs with shared equipment should be tested. In the United States, about 158,500 people who have HIV are unaware of their status, and nearly 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who don’t know they have the virus.

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The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. Additionally, testing is treatment. When people know their HIV status, they can start treatment to maintain their health and prevent transmission of the virus.

Next year, Resource Center will mark 40 years in the fight against AIDS. Though AIDS looks very different in 2022 than when we started, this battle has not been won. When the epidemic began, fear, hate and ignorance fueled its spread and millions died globally. I would be remiss, less than two weeks after the horrifying attack on the LBGTQ community in Colorado Springs, if I didn’t mention that a recent rise in hate speech, conspiracy theories and anti-LGBTQ laws and policies contributes to a hostile environment for our community. We can’t allow hate to stop us as we take the needed steps to tackle this disease head-on. Testing is imperative. Access to testing, preventative care and treatment should be made available to every Texan. Together, we can create a world free of HIV.

For nearly 40 years, Cece Cox has been an advocate on behalf of the LGBTQ and HIV communities. She is an attorney and serves as CEO of Resource Center, which is the largest provider of programs and services in North Texas for LGBTQ youth, seniors, families and individuals affected by HIV. She wrote this column for The Dallas Morning News.

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