MoCo Unveils Ambitious HIV Plan; AIDS Town Hall Set For Dec. 1

SILVER SPRING, MD — Maryland's most populous jurisdiction is pushing an ambitious plan to nearly eliminate all new HIV transmissions by the year 2030.

The plan, announced Friday, aims to reduce new HIV transmissions by 90 percent in Montgomery County by:

• Increasing testing in healthcare and community-based settings
• Ensuring every resident living with HIV is connected to healthcare and other services they need in order to stay healthy and prevent transmission to others
• Increasing access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) HIV prevention medication and other prevention tools and education
• Fine-tuning the county's ability to respond to HIV outbreaks in the community

Health officials will explore the county's "Ending the HIV Epidemic" plan at The World AIDS Day virtual town hall discussion on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Panelists will include Melvin Cauthen (the county's Department of Health and Human Services administrator for HIV/STI services), Connor Hegel (LGBTQ services navigator for Sexual Minority Youth Assistance Leagues), and Ronald Johnson (LGBTQ Democrats of Montgomery County).

The town hall discussion will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. Register at https://bit.ly/38YZvBm.

HIV And Its Impact On Residents

HIV — or human immunodeficiency virus — attacks the body's immune system, making the infected person more vulnerable to other diseases and infections, according to HIV.gov. People can get HIV through unprotected sex, sharing needles, syringes, and other injection drug equipment.

According to the Maryland Department of Health, 3,489 people were infected with HIV between 2009 and 2018. In 2018 alone, the county reported 123 new cases.

More information can be found here.

Officials are encouraging residents to support the county's "Ending the HIV Epidemic" efforts by:

• Getting tested for HIV, even if they do not think they are at risk
• Seeking treatment for HIV if they test positive
• Asking their healthcare provider about Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), the HIV prevention medication, to reduce risk of HIV
• Learn the facts about HIV and talk with partners, family, and friends about it
• Fight HIV stigma by showing support, respect, and compassion for people living with HIV

Free and low-cost HIV testing, treatment or prevention services is available to county residents. Call the HIV-STI program at 240-777-1869 for more information.