Author: colinstewart

From The Press and Journal https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/2801140/hiv-aids-myths/  by Ellie House January 10, 2021, 1:15 pm The screen flickers to life as the voice-over echoes, and sinister music climbs to a frenzy. A horror movie perhaps, as dramatic scenes show exploding lava and an avalanche of rocks. “There is now a danger which has become a threat to us all,” warns actor John Hurt, deadpan and serious. Rock is chipped away by a chisel and a gravestone looms into view. There is one final warning as a white lily is dropped on to a coffin lid and a single death knell rings out. It is 1986, and public information films concerning HIV/Aids are commonplace. Fast forward a few decades and we are now far more educated about HIV, both as a society and within the world of medicine. Treatment has moved on, as has public opinion. But the legacy and subsequent stigma from the...

Trained members of Our Positive Voice Grampian are hosting confidential online drop in sessions in lead up to World Aids Day on 1st December. Anyone can drop in for a chat, ask ANY questions and / or seek peer support, if needed. We use the secure and confidential NHS Attend Anywhere call system where you can opt to do a video or voice chat.  If you would like a chat, go to https://ourpositivevoice.org/attendanywhere during one of the sessions below. We also offer peer support for anyone living with or affected by HIV every Thursday morning. Date Day Start End 24-Nov-2020 Tuesday 1400 1600 25-Nov-2020 Wednesday 1900 2100 26-Nov-2020 Thursday 0900 1200 27-Nov-2020 Friday 1900 2100 28-Nov-2020 Saturday 1000 1200 29-Nov-2020 Sunday 1400 1600 30-Nov-2020 Monday 1400 1600 01-Dec-2020 Tuesday 090014001900 110016002100 After clicking the button “Start Video Chat” a new window will appear and it will quickly do a connection...

Our Positive Voice (Grampian) is still able to provide peer support during the current crisis either over the phone or by video. If you would like to talk to one of our team, please email info@ourpositivevoice.org to arrange an appointment. Please provide your contact details and whether you would like to have a phone call or a video call. (We use NHS AttendAnywhere video conferencing software for our video support which is completely secure.)

https://www.bhiva.org/BHIVA-statement-on-COVID-19 Coronavirus (COVID-19) and HIV – update from the British HIV Association (BHIVA) Update re: BHIVA Spring Conference, Manchester, 26th- 29th April 2020 Friday 13 March 2020 Following CROI 2020, there continues to be no evidence that people with HIV are at higher risk of COVID-19, or severe disease if affected, and no evidence regarding the impact of viral load or CD4 on either of these. You may have read that the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra) is being studied as a possible treatment for COVID-19 but this is based on very limited evidence for similar viruses. So far there is no good evidence that lopinavir/ritonavir is beneficial, and no evidence that other HIV drugs will help. For anyone taking HIV drugs for treatment or prevention, we recommend continuing to take treatment as recommended, and not increasing the dose or switching to other medications unless otherwise indicated. There has been one...

Our Positive Voice (Grampian) has been instrumental in getting Aberdeen signed up to the Fast Track iniative.  In August 2019, Councillor Sarah Duncan brought the Paris Declaration agreement to the council and it was accepted unanimously.