Alexandria Health Department (AHD) is encouraging residents to recognize Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Awareness Week and always practice safe sex. STI Awareness Week, observed in the second full week of April, aims to raise awareness and reduce stigma around STI prevention, testing, and treatment.

In Alexandria, STIs are on the rise. For instance, between 2020 and 2022, Alexandria’s rates of new gonorrhea diagnoses and new chlamydia diagnoses rose by 39% and 28%, respectively.

Many of these rates are higher than those of our neighbors. Alexandria’s new early syphilis diagnosis rate was 2.6 times higher than the Northern Virginia regional rate in 2022. Chlamydia and gonorrhea rates were also higher than the rates in surrounding areas.

Additionally, mpox, a virus that spreads through close contact like cuddling and kissing, continues to infect people in Virginia.

There is not a single specific cause for this rise in STIs, but the data make one thing clear: safe sex habits are important to protect Alexandrians and their partners.  To prevent the spread of STIs, AHD recommends that residents talk, test, treat, and tell.

Talk to your partners about your STI histories, testing, and safe sex plans that can include using condoms. You can also talk to a health care provider about medications and vaccines that offer protection, including DoxyPEP for some STIs, PrEP and nPEP for HIV, and two doses of the Jynneos vaccine to protect against mpox.

Test to know your status. Testing is the only way to know for sure if you have an STI and, if necessary, begin treatment. There are affordable testing options from AHD and other providers in Alexandria.

Treat early to prevent dangerous long-term effects of STIs and to prevent infection of your partners. All STIs are treatable, and most are curable. Affordable treatment options are available in Alexandria.

Finally, if you do have an STI, tell your partners so they can get tested and treated and make plans to prevent further spread. If you feel uncomfortable about disclosing your status to a partner, AHD can help you confidentially share the news.

You can read more about local services, local data, and best practices to prevent STIs on AHD’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub website.

If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available to you. Please email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3960.