Ways of protection
- Condoms protect against HIV and lower the risk of getting other STIs. Use a condom when having vaginal or anal sex. Avoid getting blood or semen in your mouth during oral sex. Do not swallow them. This way, the risk of getting HIV is very low.
- Only use your own injection material, or new material.
- More than 99% of all babies of mothers with HIV, are born without HIV, if the mother takes medicines during pregnancy.
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Some people can preventively take HIV medicines. This treatment is called PrEP.
If you have HIV and you are not treated, you can infect other people, even if you have no symptoms yet.
In case of emergency
If you have been exposed to HIV, you can take a medicine called ‘PEP’. Take the medicine as quickly as possible (the best is to do so within 2 hours and no later than 72 hours. The sooner you start taking it, the higher the chance of not getting infected. Ask a doctor for help.
No longer any risk of infection
If you take your HIV medicines correctly every day, the amount of HIV in your blood (viral load) lowers. After a few months, it can often no longer be traced, though the virus is still in your body. Then you will no longer be able to infect someone else with HIV.
You can have sex without a condom with a partner who does not have HIV.
Talk to a doctor and your partner if you want to have sex without a condom.
Preventative treatment with HIV medicines: PrEP
PrEP are HIV medicines for preventing infection with HIV. PrEP does not replace the condom, because the PrEP pill (Truvada) only protects against HIV and does not protect against other STIs. It is extra protection for people who have a high chance of becoming infected with HIV.
When you use PrEP, you have to take 1 pill every day at a regular time that you choose. Men who have sex with other men can choose to only take PrEP before and after sex:
• 2 pills 2 to 24 hours before anal sex and
• 1 pill 24 hours after you took the first pills, and then again 1 pill 24 hours later.
Before you start PrEP, you should make sure that you do not have HIV. You have to visit the GGD or your general practitioner for a check-up every 3 months.
Buying PrEP
You can buy PrEP with a doctor's prescription at a pharmacy. It is not covered by your health insurance and the price of PrEP can differ per pharmacy.
In case of emergency
If you have been exposed to HIV, you can take a medicine called ‘PEP’. Take the medicine as quickly as possible (no longer than 3 days after running the risk of infection). The sooner you start taking it, the higher your chance of not becoming infected. Ask your GGD or general practitioner for help.
No further risk of infection
If you take your HIV medicines correctly every day, the amount of HIV in your blood (viral load) decreases. After a few months, it can often no longer be traced, though the virus is still in your body. Then you will no longer be able to pass on HIV to others.
Under certain conditions, it is possible for you to have sex without a condom with your steady partner (steady relationship) who does not have HIV:
· If you correctly take your HIV medicines every day, and
· If, for at least 6 months, your viral load can no longer be detected, and
· If your viral load was checked less than 6 months ago;
· If you have no other STI and the mucous membrane of your mouth, anus, penis or vagina is not damaged.
Talk to a doctor and your partner if you want to have sex without a condom.
