AHP News

Hooking Up During COVID-19

Before you hook up, get a check up! AHP’s friendly LGBTQ+ Sexual Health Services (SHS) team is in the house and ready to talk with you about sex and testing for HIV and STDs.

There’s no question that COVID -19 adds new challenges to our dating, hook-up and sex lives, and tips for how to take care of yourself during COVID-19 can be found here and here. After you consider the risk of sexual activities, it’s time to talk with your partners about COVID-19--just like any other safer sex topics.

Our team members can help you evaluate what level of risk you are comfortable with and help you strategize how to talk about COVID-19 precautions with your sex partner(s). And, thanks to AHP’s new online SHS calendar, your next appointment is just a click away using our online scheduler, testing at Alliance Health Project is quick and convenient.

Make an Appointment Today!

HIV/HCV/STD services are available by appointment only and limited to Tuesday and Thursdays between 12-6; and Saturdays 9-3:30pm. All clients are asked COVID-19 related screening questions before entering the AHP Services Center.

Working With Our Friends to Keep You Safe

HIV/HCV/STD testing services were initially suspended in response to San Francisco’s shelter-in-place order. AHP formed several work groups to adapt our clinic schedule to social distancing requirements, coordinate the workflow of various programs to protect clients, and ensure staff member’s access to personal protective equipment.

AHP’s PrEP Navigation services continued working with existing clients from March through June, but experienced a sharp decline in new clients as it depends on our testing program for a large number of its referrals. At the same time, it was clear that our community needed sexual health guidance to decrease the risk of HIV, STD’s and COVID-19 transmission. Clients concerned about HIV/STD testing continued to call AHP while services were suspended, and those experiencing STD symptoms were referred to the City Clinic for treatment. We officially reopened both our integrated HIV/HCV/STD testing program and PrEP Navigation services in July of 2020!

Perry Rhodes III, AHP’s Sexual Health Services  manager joined with leaders from other community-based sexual health programs in a Getting to Zero Consortium ad hoc group to create the city’s COVID-19 guidance on sexual health. Reopening our HIV/HCV/STD testing is so important to fighting HIV transmission in San Francisco. And there is so much more for AHP to do alongside our community partners. With this passion for collaboration in mind, SHS has joined with AGUILAS (an agency that serves gay and bisexual Latino men) to extend our testing and PrEP navigation services. In addition, our mobile testing unit is serving the community by lending our van to BRIDGE HIV, a San Francisco Department of Public Health program, to conduct COVID-19 testing and research. The SHS team is committed to collaborating with community partners and supporting our clients with integrated HIV/HCV/STD testing, PrEP Navigation, and Syringe Access services throughout the challenge of COVID-19 and beyond.