FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2019
Media Contact:
Britt Ehrhardt/Marianna Moles
Santa Clara County Public Health Department
Office: (408) 792-5155
[email protected]
HIV Medication Makes the Virus Untransmittable from Person to Person
County of Santa Clara, CA. – The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department and Getting to Zero initiative aim to reduce stigma and increase education about HIV treatment with the launch of U=U, an ad campaign which stands for Undetectable Equals Untransmittable. U=U launches March 7, 2019 and ends in June 2019.
Ads in English and Spanish feature five HIV-positive Bay Area residents and will appear on buses, light rail, and at restaurants, bars and clubs, as well as popular social networks, such as Snapchat, Facebook, Grindr, Instagram and YouTube. The bilingual campaign urges HIV-positive individuals to begin and maintain treatment to reach untransmittable status. For every HIV infection that is prevented, an estimated $360,000 is saved in the cost of providing lifetime HIV treatment, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“U=U changes the conversation from people worrying about getting HIV to knowing they have affordable options to stay healthy,” said Public Health Department Director and County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody. “The Public Health Department ensures everyone has access to affordable medication regardless of income. Our vision is that anyone living with HIV has a chance to live a healthy life well into their 90s, just like someone who does not have HIV.”
“U=U is a game-changer in the world of HIV,” said County of Santa Clara HIV Commission Member Bob Reed. “Being undetectable has provided me with an amazing sense of relief since I no longer consider myself able to pass on the virus.”
The campaign is part of Getting to Zero Santa Clara County-Silicon Valley, a four-year initiative that strives for zero new HIV infections, zero HIV-related deaths, and zero HIV-related stigma. Getting to Zero is a collaborative effort between County of Santa Clara Public Health Department and community partners.
With consistent HIV medication, the HIV virus becomes undetectable in a person who has the virus, which means they have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners. Getting and staying undetectable is the best thing people with HIV can do to stay healthy and to keep their partners healthy.
Reducing the amount of virus in the body also reduces transmission in cases of sharing syringes during injection drug use, and from mother to child during pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding.
“State and federal funding make it possible for the Public Health Department to ensure that the medication is affordable, and often free, for everyone who needs it. Almost anyone can become undetectable, but there could barriers, including barriers to taking the medication every day,” said Public Health Department STD/HIV Controller and Assistant Health Officer Sarah Rudman.
The Public Health Department partners with nonprofits and healthcare providers to help overcome these barriers and make sure everyone is covered by providing additional support to people living with HIV, such as food, housing, and legal id.
Public Health Department also provides free HIV testing, connects clients to healthcare providers, advocates for policies and processes that expand access to treatment, and tracks who has an increased need for prevention and care.
The HIV epidemic has stabilized in the County since the mid-2000s, with 3,361 people known to be diagnosed and living with HIV/AIDS as of 2017. African-American and Latinx residents are disproportionately impacted by the disease, with rates among African Americans more than four times higher than rates among non-Hispanic Whites. Gay and bisexual men are disproportionately impacted. The U=U campaign is funded by the Public Health Department through Getting to Zero, at a total cost of $175,000.
In 2017, there were 156 new cases of HIV diagnosed in the County, increasing slightly from 135 cases in 2016 in the context of extensive efforts to increase the number of people tested. This is down from 158 cases in 2015 and 165 in 2014. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone ages 13-64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care.
The Public Health Department offers free HIV testing at GettingtoZeroSCC.org. More information about the campaign is available in English at HIVhasChanged.org and Spanish at VIHhaCambiado.org.
###
About the Santa Clara County Public Health Department
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department focuses on protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, disease and injury prevention, and the promotion of sound health policy.
To learn more about how the Public Health Department serves the people who live, work, study, and play in the County of Santa Clara, please visit our website, sccphd.org, and follow us on Facebook, facebook.com/sccpublichealth and Instagram, instagram.com/scc_publichealth.
About Getting to Zero
Getting to Zero HIV Santa Clara County-Silicon Valley is a four-year initiative that will strive for Zero New HIV Infections, Zero Deaths related to HIV/AIDS, and Zero HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination in Santa Clara County. It is a collaborative effort between the County of Santa Clara and community partners, including The Health Trust, with funding provided by Santa Clara County. To learn more visit GettingtoZeroSCC.org.