COVID-19

In Canada and around the world, we are experiencing an unprecedented public health crisis – COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019). Every day, we hear and read news that makes it clear: while health care providers, researchers, first responders, and government leaders take action to care for those of us who test positive for the virus and to protect us from exposure or infection, we also need to heed the advice of public health officials; we need to adjust to this “new normal” that is social distancing for the next while. Most importantly, we need to care from one another.

Many of us already agree that living with HIV and HIV co-infections can and often does leave us feeling isolated. There is little doubt that many of us feel more isolated now than ever before because social distancing is what we need to do during this public health emergency.

As members of the CPPN, we are all in this together. Our Board of Directors is actively working on plans to facilitate our ability to connect… to check in on one another in a meaningful way. The need for social distancing should not and does not mean that we must feel more alone or isolated than many of us already do.  We will confirm a more concrete plan very soon.

In the meantime, we should be aware that if we are on effective treatment, it is not likely that we are at higher risk for COVID-19. CATIE recently published an excellent article that summarizes what we need to know as people living with HIV and hepatitis C. And, the International AIDS Society has posted an awesome overview of COVID-19 and HIV. We recommend that you follow the links to review these valuable resources.

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