SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio AIDS Foundation has been seeing an unsettling trend in the number of HIV and STI infections since the start of the pandemic.
Khalen Garcia is the director of communication for the nonprofit organization.
“We’re expecting to see some increase in numbers by the end of the year, especially as we get more people into our services, get them tested and get them in treatment,” Garcia said.
Garcia said COVID-19 limited the number of educational resources and testing was put on a brief hold.
“The community as a whole did have a setback as far as getting information back in the schools and getting information out to areas that need it most,” he said.
Now that testing is ramping up again, SAAF has noticed a monthly 1.5% positivity rate. However, in 2020 there was only a 1.1% positivity rate. Garcia said that is because there was a dip in the number of people that were being tested.
He anticipates more new cases in the remaining months of 2021.
The nonprofit has started a new initiative to help the community. The ”Stay it SAAF Box” includes products from local businesses and supporters.
However, Garcia said it also contains important information and resources.
“What this box serves as a way to get the information out there because each box is going to have information about HIV and STI’s. What the rates are going on in San Antonio,” Garcia said.
People can subscribe to have the box mailed to their doorstep and it also serves as fundraiser for the nonprofit. Garcia said he hopes the box will be a serves a new educational resource for the community.
“Knowledge is power,” he said.
To learn more about SAAF, click here.