Scientists projected that available treatments would eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030-then COVID-19 happened
This year was supposed to be the year we took control of the HIV epidemic.
Four years ago, governments around the world-including Canada-committed to achieving three targets: 90 percent of people with HIV diagnosed; 90 percent of those diagnosed on treatment; and 90 percent of those on treatment managing to suppress the virus to undetectable levels.
Since available treatments now eliminate the risk of passing HIV on to a sexual partner, scientists projected that meeting these targets by 2020 would eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Then COVID-19 happened.
You might think that physical distancing measures to protect us from COVID-19 would similarly limit opportunities to transmit HIV. However, the reality on the ground is not so straightforward.