( CDC ), based on surveillance data from 2020 , showed that STIs decreased during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic , but resurged and surpassed previous years by the end of 2020 .
Feenstra says : “ One of the key factors of the early decline appeared to be underdiagnosis and reduced screening efforts rather than an actual reduction in new infections , with more individuals staying home instead of going to their health care provider out of concern of contracting COVID-19 .”
As healthcare resources were diverted towards fighting COVID-19 , laboratory and testing shortages additionally contributed to the underreporting infections in surveillance data .
Yet by the end of 2020 it was clear the STI epidemic had worsened and that the true incidence of STIs were higher than in previous years .
“ Since then , this trend has continued and STIs seem to be a major concern from a public health standpoint ,” says Feenstra .
“ At the same time , the at-home collection devices are constantly being improved to ensure sample quality . While progress is ongoing , the immediate priority should be on getting people tested for STIs and making sure they ’ re getting the treatment they need , whether it be in the conventional hospitallab based system or the convenient at-home collection followed by lab testing .”
While data are still coming in , so far it appears that the pandemic has had a marked impact on the spread of STIs . The report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
How hospitals can better support LGBT + healthcare Healthcare services can better support the LGBT + community in a variety of ways , says Feenstra :
“ On the testing side , we have advanced tools like molecular diagnostics to support needs better than ever before . This helps all people including people in the LGBTQ + community , who are commonly impacted by STIs .”
The pandemic advanced the accessibility of technology used in diagnostics out of necessity . Now , labs around the world have myriad testing infrastructures Use with more far image better capabilities than ever before captions . as often
“ What we need to focus on is as finding possible ways to provide better access to these services ,” she
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