STIs Are Rife Over The Holidays. Here's How To Keep Yourself Safe

Ensure safe sex is part of your festive sex life, and keep yourself and those around you health.

Let’s face it, sexually transmitted infections (or STIs) are probably not the first thing to come to mind when you think of Christmas. But it may come as a surprise to know that STI acquisition (the fancy term for getting an STI) rises during the festive period, thanks to good old holiday horn. 

Certain STIs, including genital herpes, gonorreha, and chlamydia are on the rise in general during recent years. But, each year, the festive period proves to be a bit of a hotbed (pun intended) for STI swapping.

After all, it’s the time of the year when parties, socializing, and get-togethers are far more frequent. And most allosexual folk (referring to those of us who enjoy sex with other people) understand how those situations can sometimes result in having sex.

How to have safe sex 

To avoid getting an STI this Christmas, Newman-Clark says we need to be practicing safe sex more often. Especially if you’re having casual sex, hooking up at Christmas parties or you have a new sexual partner. 

"Using condoms and testing regularly are the best ways to protect yourself from STIs. If you’ve had unprotected sex, especially if it’s with a new partner, you should have an STI test even if you don’t have any symptoms," Newman-Clark tells Mashable. 

Universal Human Rights Month is an annual designation observed in December. This month and every month to follow, people all across the globe are encouraged to come together and stand up for equality, justice, and the dignity of all humans.

Celebrate Universal Human Rights Month this December by seeking common ground with those who come from different backgrounds. It's important to remember that, despite our varied races, religions, beliefs, and cultures, we all share the same world and humanity. Instead of letting differences divide us, take this opportunity to educate yourself. If you feel uncertain or uneasy about another culture, take time to learn about their history and traditions. Gaining understanding can help break down fear and foster empathy, reminding us that our shared humanity connects us all. This month, let’s embrace learning and connection to honor Universal Human Rights Month 2024.

World AIDS Day

December 1

Today is a day to both honor the more than 32 million people who have died worldwide from AIDS-related illness and renew our commitment to ending the HIV epidemic. This year’s theme, “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress” challenges us to work in collaboration and community with each other to maintain and build on our progress.

An ongoing key challenge to that progress is HIV stigma—in our communities, in health care settings, and in public health research and practice—and how stigma affects access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care.

World AIDS Day serves as a reminder that together, as a community, we can end HIV stigma, promote access to treatment and prevention by committing to create a world that is equitable for all.

Climate Change Jeopardizes HIV Care in the U.S.

Policymakers and public health officials need to take steps to integrate climate resilience in HIV/AIDS health care programs to mitigate the disproportionate impact that extreme weather events have on people living with HIV.

While extreme weather events have broad negative health impacts, those with chronic health conditions, such as HIV, are particularly vulnerable during and following these disasters. In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 1.2 million people over the age of 13 in the United States are living with HIV. These individuals are extremely vulnerable to climate change because they depend on consistent access to providers, medications, and other support services to stay alive—and climate crises often disrupt access to these resources.

From 2018 to 2022, the estimated incidence of HIV in the United States fell roughly 12 percent. However, climate change threatens care for a disproportionate number of these new and existing cases: The South, one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the country, saw 52 percent of all new HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2022, meaning these individuals may face heightened barriers to care.

Disability Inclusion

What is Disability Inclusion?

Including people with disabilities in everyday activities and encouraging them to have roles similar to their peers who do not have a disability is disability inclusion. This involves more than simply encouraging people; it requires making sure that adequate policies and practices are in effect in a community or organization.

Inclusion should lead to increased participation in socially expected life roles and activities—such as being a student, worker, friend, community member, patient, spouse, partner, or parent.



Socially expected activities may also include engaging in social activities, using public resources such as transportation and libraries, moving about within communities, receiving adequate health care, having relationships, and enjoying other day-to-day activities.