12/1/21
World AIDS Day, a tale of two pandemics
Since 1988, World Aids Day has occurred every December 1st, across the globe. It began as a way to show support for people affected by the last global pandemic which began 40 years ago. This year, commemorations occurred as planned, even as the quickly spreading new SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron reminds us how globally connected we are.
There is still much to be thankful for. The work done on HIV and treatments is a true success story, although it wasn’t easy and still isn't finished. Still, too many are infected and affected. Unlike with COVID-19, there is no cure, there is no recovery, and there is no vaccine, despite years of effort. Worldwide, 7.9 million people are living with HIV and more than 36 million have died, over the past 40 years. But progress happened in other ways and for 25 years, the virus has been controllable, if a person has access to the medications. Lives are saved, side effects of meds are decreased, and preventive therapy can now prevent transmissions. Miracles all.
Miracles occurred because of the hard work of many people, physicians, scientists, nurses, patients, activists, and others. They worked to change outcomes from almost certain death to being a treatable chronic disease. It took years to get to that point. People persisted despite the failures early on. The AIDS pandemic led the way for scientists to work together to solve unsolvable problems, sharing data, sharing what worked, sharing hope.
One legacy of the AIDS epidemic is expanding knowledge about how viruses work, how the immune system fights back, and how viruses mutate to become resistant to treatments and vaccines. The other legacy of the AIDS epidemic is the global network of scientists and care givers who share information and data quickly, identifying new issues early, such as Omicron, to decrease transmission and giving the heads up. And some things haven’t changed- the inequities of HIV/AIDS in Africa compared to other parts of the world are the same with SARS-CoV-2 and developing countries’ access to vaccines.
And now the global fight against AIDS and HIV is being stressed by the pandemic at the same time the scientists who learned so much from HIV, work to keep up with the challenges that SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 present. This network laid the groundwork for the multiple clinical trials needed to test the various COVID-19 vaccines, and now for identifying new variants. Those networks helped spread the word about Omicron. Very cool, really. The information can help keep us safe. Not necessarily by calling for travel bans or lockdowns, but the information coming now, will remind us to continue with our layered approach to decrease infections. Wear your masks and get your boosters.
More information will be coming. These dedicated people are working to see what this new variant means. Is it more transmissable? Will it make people sicker? Will the vaccines work against Omicron? Will the boosters improve protection? Still too soon to know, but miraculous that it is identified and being tested for already.
Wash your hands, cover your nose, keep safe six, boost your immunity, and get back to your basics for protection while we await more data. Just like with HIV, information and treatments are coming, faster than we could have hoped for.
And finally, my caveat is that this is my experience and my opinions, which are subject to change as more information is available, and not related to the organization I work for. Thanks for reading.
https://www.hiv.gov/events/awareness-days/world-aids-day
https://www.npr.org/2021/12/01/1060531196/world-aids-day-2021-covid-19-similarities-inequities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_HIV/AIDS
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/fauci-says-covid-diverted-resources-from-fighting-aids/
https://blogs.jwatch.org/hiv-id-observations/index.php/gratitude-for-40-years-of-progress-in-hiv-care-and-research/2021/11/23/
https://twitter.com/trvrb
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/omicron-prompts-swift-reconsideration-of-boosters-among-scientists/
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/omicron-prompts-swift-reconsideration-of-boosters-among-scientists/
