The York City Bureau of Health is now offering free and easy STD treatments for partners of people infected with diseases.
It's a new program and the organizer says it's pretty common sense, treat everyone who could be.
Linda Otero is behind the expedited partner treatment program. She says in 2012 the Health Bureau had 540 cases of Chlamydia reported and 292 cases of Gonorrhea, that's double the previous year in York City residents.
“What we are seeing is a spike in numbers,” commented Otero, a disease intervention specialist. “I wouldn’t call it an epidemic or pandemic but I would definitely say there is a spike in numbers and that is why a program like this is so important.”
Anyone who is a partner of a Chlamydia or Gonorrhea patient can come to the Albert Weyer Health Center, get free antibiotics and treatment and free lab work.
Otero says often partners won't get their own treatment because they can't afford the doctor’s visit or they simply want to avoid being tested.
“What happens is if person treated for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia and go back to home and contact sex partner, have unprotected sex, they are exposing themselves to same infection,” commented Otero.
Partners do not have to live in York to get treatment.
It's a new program and the organizer says it's pretty common sense, treat everyone who could be.
Linda Otero is behind the expedited partner treatment program. She says in 2012 the Health Bureau had 540 cases of Chlamydia reported and 292 cases of Gonorrhea, that's double the previous year in York City residents.
“What we are seeing is a spike in numbers,” commented Otero, a disease intervention specialist. “I wouldn’t call it an epidemic or pandemic but I would definitely say there is a spike in numbers and that is why a program like this is so important.”
Anyone who is a partner of a Chlamydia or Gonorrhea patient can come to the Albert Weyer Health Center, get free antibiotics and treatment and free lab work.
Otero says often partners won't get their own treatment because they can't afford the doctor’s visit or they simply want to avoid being tested.
“What happens is if person treated for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia and go back to home and contact sex partner, have unprotected sex, they are exposing themselves to same infection,” commented Otero.
Partners do not have to live in York to get treatment.