Less sexual health care
Because of COVID-19, fewer people were able to make use of sexual health care at the GGD Municipal Health Service. During the intelligent lockdown from March 13 to May 31, consultation hours were limited to essential care. For example, for clients with (serious) STI Sexually transmitted diseases complaints, clients who required treatment, clients with an STI warning and clients who had to deal with sexual violence. STI care has been scaled up again since June. In September, most sexual health centers regained about 80% of the number of visitors before the lockdown.
During the intelligent lockdown, more men who have sex with men (MSM men who have sex with men) came to the sexual health centers than women and heterosexual men. During and after the lockdown, there was also a higher proportion of visitors with complaints and visitors who had been warned about an STI.
Higher percentage of positive tests
Because fewer people were tested during the lockdown, fewer STIs were diagnosed during that period. But the percentage of positive results was higher during the lockdown compared to the period before and after the lockdown. Between January and August 2020, that percentage was 18% for women and over 22% for heterosexual men and MSM. This means that more than 1 in 6 women and more than 1 in 5 men who had themselves tested actually had an STI.
Effect of lockdown on spread
The lockdown could have had both a positive and negative effect on the spread of STIs. On the one hand, there was less chance of spreading because people had fewer sexual contacts. On the other hand, fewer people have had themselves tested or treated for STIs, which increases the chance of spreading. It is not clear which of these different effects – behavioral change or missed STI diagnoses – was the greatest. Various studies have been started into the influence of the corona measures on sexual behavior and STI transmission.
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