'Out of control' STD situation prompts call for changes

NEW YORK (AP) — Sharply rising cases of some sexually transmitted diseases — including a 26% rise in new syphilis infections reported last year — are prompting U.S. health officials to call for new prevention and treatment efforts.

“It is imperative that we ... work to rebuild, innovate, and expand (STD) prevention in the U.S.,” said Dr. Leandro Mena of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a speech Monday at a medical conference on sexually transmitted diseases.

Infections rates for some STDs, including gonorrhea and syphilis, have been rising for years. Last year the rate of syphilis cases reached its highest since 1991 and the total number of cases hit its highest since 1948. HIV cases are also on the rise, up 16% last year.

And an international outbreak of monkeypox, which is being spread mainly between men who have sex with other men, has further highlighted the nation's worsening problem with diseases spread mostly through sex.

David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, called the situation “out of control.”

Officials are working on new approaches to the problem, such as home-test kits for some STDs that will make it easier for people to learn they are infected and to take steps to prevent spreading it to others, Mena said.

Another expert said a core part of any effort must work to increase the use of condoms.

"This is not a foolish statement, but do you have supporting documentation?"

Easily done. As easy as searching std nursing ad retirement homes without quotes. The rise is not uprising as the products of the 60's sexual revolution rebellion (though I myself am 70) increasingly populate such. Likely on Viagra with meds.

across the board and among all ages, STDs are on the rise in America. According to a 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2017, nearly 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported in the United States. That's the highest number ever recorded for these diseases. The report found that in adults over age 60 diagnosis rates for herpes simplex, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, trichomoniasis and chlamydia rose 23 percent between 2014 and 2017. (HIV was not included in this analysis.) That's compared to an 11 percent increase among the entire population over age 13. - https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/2018-12-10/what-to-know-about-rising-std-rates-among-seniors

According to the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report, cases of several common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have reached historic highs among elderly populations in the U.S. including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.,... According to the study, Washington D.C., New York, and Maryland saw the highest instance of STIs among populations 55 and older with an average STI rate per 100,000 at 881.8, 236.2, and 172.7 respectively. While Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota had the lowest instance of STIs among people aged 55 and older at 20, 17.8, and 14.9 per 100,000 respectively, they actually saw the highest percentage increases in STI contraction between 2008 and 2017 with Montana having a 275.1% increase (the highest among any state), Wyoming have a 239.7% increase (the second highest), and North Dakota having a 224.6% increase (5th highest). - https://www.forbes.com/sites/claryestes/2020/02/26/historic-high-rates-of-stis-among-older-americans/

Research by AARP over the past five years has revealed that roughly 80 percent of all Americans between 50 and 90 are sexually active. And these numbers hold equally true in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Florida ranks among the top five states in the country for sexually transmitted diseases among older adults. - https://www.millhorn.com/three-reasons-why-stds-are-on-the-rise-in-nursing-homes/

studies show that sexual activity is common in older demographics, as is alcohol consumption.

And what could be an unfortunate consequence of both of these activities—contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD)—is on the rise, according to a recent study that reveals a growing occurrence of diseases and infections among sexually active seniors. - https://seniorhousingnews.com/2012/02/08/booze-sex-stds-in-senior-living-facilities/

Added to this is that 77% of nursing home directors of nursing in Northwest Ohio agreed sex among nonmarried residents should be supported. - https://ojph.org/article/view/8069

In addition to which is the financial cost which has been going for decades:

The United States is expected to spend more than $26 billion annually on HIV. (https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/facts-statistics-infographic)

CDC estimates indicate about 20 percent of the U.S. population – approximately one in five people in the U.S. – had an STI on any given day in 2018, and STIs acquired that year will cost the American healthcare system nearly $16 billion in healthcare costs alone. (https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/prevalence-2020-at-a-glance.htm)

"STIs and their complications amount to about $16 billion annually in direct medical costs. HIV imposes the largest financial burden, costing $12.6 billion in direct medical costs, followed by HPV at $1.7 billion, chlamydia at $156.7 million, gonorrhea at $162.1 million, and syphilis at $39.9 million." (https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/STI-brief.pdf)

"The estimated discounted lifetime cost for persons who become HIV infected at age 35 is $326,500 (60% for antiretroviral medications, 15% for other medications, 25% non-drug costs). [Undiscounted "mean lifetime costs are $597,300 ($4,200)" "Discounted costs are highlighted throughout because they represent economic costs that take into account time preferences of individuals and society and the opportunity cost of funds"] The Lifetime Medical Cost Savings from Preventing HIV in the United States

Costs also can include those for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) [which was] at more than $1,700 for 30 tablets (https://mosaicscience.com/story/hiv-prep-truvada-prevention-sti-std-lgbtqi-gay-condom-pride/).

The cost for PrEP medication is about 2,000 a month, and which "Most health insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover." (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/hiv-aids/prep) For any Medicaid insured HIV-negative adult 18 years of age or older patients, lab testing and prescription medication costs are 100% covered. (https://www.louisianahealthhub.org/teleprep/)

In 2017, around 61,300 people were actively taking PrEP.

(https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world/western-central-europe-north-america/usa) with the rate of PrEP users per 100,000 population in 2018 being 68. (https://aidsvu.org/local-data/united-states)

The Ready, Set, PrEP program makes PrEP medication available at no cost for qualifying recipients who lack prescription drug coverage, and are tested for HIV with a negative result, and have a prescription for PrEP. (https://www.getyourprep.com/)

EDIT: "the federal government has announced that almost all health insurers must cover the HIV prevention pill, known as PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, with no cost sharing — including for the drug itself and, crucially, for clinic visits and lab tests...This means...Truvada or Descovy, the two approved forms of PrEP, should now be totally free for almost all insured individuals....when taken daily, the tablet reduces men’s risk of contracting the virus from sex with other men by more than 99 percent...PrEP use remains largely limited to white gay and bisexual men...Gilead readily provides PrEP for free to lower-income people who lack health insurance, but the pharmaceutical company does not cover the associated clinic visits and lab tests...Since this spring, Truvada has been available in a generic form with a list price as low as $30 per month. By comparison, Descovy’s list price is currently $1,930 and Truvada’s is $1,842.... (https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-health-and-wellness/prep-hiv-prevention-pill-must-now-totally-free-almost-insurance-plans-rcna1470)

Which raises raises private insurance rates and or taxes for all who pay them.

Such are just part of the financial and societal costs that affect every one to varying degrees due to man disobeying God's program, in which sexual union is only between male and female in marriage. And which provides the stable safe environment for trust and intimacy and for children which are to result, versus fornication as well as artificial contraceptives.

And beyond the financial and societal costs is the spiritual cost, of separation from God now and eternal damnation later due to impenitent sin. For which only repentance and committed faith in the risen Lord Jesus is the solution, for Christ the Son of God was sent by God the Father to be the savior of the world. And who therefore gave Himself for our sins on the cross of His death, paying the price for our forgiveness with His sinless shed blood. Thanks be to God.

The AP/Yahoo article is laden with statistics but does not cite or link any sources.

”Last year the rate of syphilis cases reached its highest since 1991 and the total number of cases hit its highest since 1948.”

I guess they wanted to reference 1948 because U.S. population was 146,630,000, less than half of what it was in 2021 (331,890,000). What a misleading “statistic.”

This Daily Caller article references CDC data:

CDC Warns That US Sexually Transmitted Diseases Are ‘Out Of Control’

The data reveals that STDs continue to surge “with no signs of slowing,” rising from 2,400,000 infections to 2,500,000 throughout the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a 26% rise in new syphilis infections throughout 2021, the highest rate since 1991, The Associated Press noted.

In the article, the word “data” is a link to this CDC article, which cites data from 2017 and 2021:

Preliminary 2021 STD Surveillance Data

Chlamydia:
1,708,569 cases / 2017
1,628,397 cases / 2021

Gonorrhea:
555,608 cases / 2017
696,764 cases / 2021

Syphilis:
101,590 cases / 2017
171,074 cases / 2021

Congenital Syphilis:
941 cases / 2017
2677 cases / 2021

(U.S. Population in 2017 was 325,000,000. In 2021 it was 331,890,000).

rising from 2,400,000 infections to 2,500,000 throughout the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Again, very misleading, as the “2,400,000 infections” refers to 2017!

Per the CDC’s own statistics the total number of STD’s:

2017 = 2,366,708

2021 = 2,498,913

This represents about a 5.3% (132,204) increase over a 4-year period. “Out of control?” Not really.

The only things that are “out of control” are shoddy, inflammatory journalism, aided and abetted by an evidently corrupt federal agency. “Alarming” news like this will keep everyone’s eyes and minds off of vaccine injuries.

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