STIQ Day 2022

This week, on Friday 14 January, we are supporting National STIQ Day.

STIQ Day is a great opportunity to get people thinking about their sexual health and encourage more people to get regular sexual health checks, helping to reduce the stigma often associated with this.

It comes at a time in which this very important part of our health, has been affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with many disruptions to services and less accessibility to sexual health clinics or community testing, and contributing factors, because of lockdowns, restrictions and isolations.

Understandably, we don’t like to think we can catch a sexually transmitted infection (STI) but a test is the only way to be sure and break the transmission chain.

This year STIQ Day takes place on 14 January, the reason being that many common STIs can take two weeks to be detectable. So, if your festive season included unprotected sex then you should be thinking about getting tested now, additionally, it will be Valentine's Day in a month and the best way to enjoy the celebrations is knowing that you are infection free and will not likely to be putting someone else's sexual health in danger.

STI rates are rising each year in the UK, regardless of age groups, number of partners or sexuality. Unfortunately, just one sexual encounter could have put you at risk of catching an STI.

Even if you feel perfectly healthy you could still be carrying something.

The only way to keep control on this important part of our health is getting routinely tested, and if infections are found, the earlier they are tested and treated, the less chance there is of long-term damage being caused.

Testing for STI is quick and easy, and sexual health checks should be a normal part of our life, as we do for other areas of health including dental checks and eye tests.

It’s a quick, simple process that not only puts your mind at rest but could protect your fertility or even save your life or that of your partner.

There are many opportunities to source at home testing kits, with one being Sexual Health London, and Spectra can provide assisted Zoom testing for users requiring it. In addition, you can talk to any of our team on outreach sessions, plus ask questions via our online chat tool on our website.

Make the most of 2022's STIQ Day, starting the year as you mean to carry on, by prioritising your health and getting tested!

Find more details on the services Spectra can offer.

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