Nick told MyLondon: “I’ve found it nearly impossible to get an in-person appointment this year – with almost all clinics saying you can’t get tested without symptoms anymore, and you have to do an at home test. In-person appointments for STI appointments are hard to come by after a pandemic-led shift to at-home testing (Image: Getty) READ MORE: City Hall flies lesbian pride flag as Sadiq Khan gives tips for being a 'lesbian ally' Many gay men are now encouraged to take PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a medicine which reduces the risk of contracting HIV but may make unprotected sex more common.
Nick Dearden, a campaigner who is gay, is particularly concerned that the new home testing regime will lead to LGBTQ+ people testing less. At-home tests are now pushed extensively for Londoners who have mild or no symptoms, and slots for in-person clinic appointments are hard to come by. During the pandemic, Yorkshire firm Preventx was awarded a major contract to provide at-home testing kits for 31 London boroughs until at least 2023, as part of a massive shift away from in-person testing.īut MyLondon has been told that many Londoners find the tests - some of which involve filling up a vial of your own blood - difficult to do at home. Londoners are struggling to get in-person appointments for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - sparking fears of a surge in case rates.
