Gay Bar, a London Soho nightlife fixture, became a pop-up sexual health clinic last week, offering vaccines and doxipeps to hundreds of users. The popular gay bar has partnered with 56 Dean Street, an NHS clinic specializing in sexual health and HIV prevention, to host the September 18 event, scheduled for September 25th.
The first pop-up attracted about 550 people and had a line extending over old Compton Street. Inside, the booth reports that it has been transformed into a makeshift consultation room where patrons were advised, as Pop Anthem played BBC.
Lawrence O’Connell, a senior nurse at 56 Dean Street, said the goal of the pop-up is to reduce stigma and anxiety about sexual health and meet the people they have.
Gay and bisexual men accounted for 75% of syphilis and 70% of go disease in London last year, according to the BBC. Nationally, go disease diagnosis hit a record high of over 85,000 in 2023 – triple in 2012 – down to 71,000. Health experts have warned of an increasing number of antibiotic-resistant cases, but syphilis continues to rise.
Vexero, the vaccine provided, was originally developed to protect against meningitis. Recent research suggests that it could reduce the risk of go disease by about 40%. Two doses are required for full protection.
In addition to the vaccine, healthcare workers prescribed doxipep. If taken within 72 hours of an unprotected gender, doxycycline reduces the risk of STIs such as chlamydia and syphilis. Currently, it is only recommended for gay and bisexual men and trans women who have recently had STIs or who regularly have new or multiple partners.
O’Connell warned that vaccines and Doxypep should not be considered standalone solutions and should be used together with other preventive methods such as condoms and preparation.
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Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
