Clinic sees HIV transmission rates plummet under COVID-19

Amid the reverberations of a global pandemic, a silver lining has appeared: a London-based health clinic has found that the rate of new HIV infections has dropped significantly as a result of social distancing.

“Fewer hook-ups since lockdown has resulted in a huge reduction of HIV and other STIs. The chain is broken,” the clinic 56 Dean Street wrote on its website. The group went on to declare the coronavirus pandemic as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity in the fight against HIV.”

Related: HIV positive student nurse faces COVID-19 at work and fears at home

“What’s more,” the group adds, “when someone first catches the virus, they are super infectious and more likely to pass on HIV than normal. But because there aren’t many super infectious people around, this has reduced transmission even further.”

56 Dean Street further encourages sexually active people to get tested for STDs as the lockdown continues, as cutting down on infections now means less spread later.

“We might never get this opportunity again,” the clinic said on Twitter.

www.queerty.com/new-hiv-infections-plummet-amid-covid-19-20200517?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Must-See LGBTQ TV: Season finales of ‘Batwoman’ and ‘Motherland: Fort Salem;’ premieres of ‘Hightown’ and Ben Platt concert special

www.glaad.org/blog/must-see-lgbtq-tv-season-finales-batwoman-and-motherland-fort-salem-premieres-hightown-and-ben

Man Arrested in Horrific Killing of Popular Gay DJ in Toronto

Toronto police have made an arrest in the horrific killing of a popular gay DJ, who was found dead when crews responded to a fire in the laundry room of his apartment building.

CP24 reports: “Peter Elie, 52, was found dead early Thursday morning after crews responded to a small fire in the laundry room of an apartment building on Balliol Street near Yonge Street and Davisville Avenue. One resident in the building previously told CTV News Toronto that they heard ‘screaming and yelling’ early that morning followed by ‘silence’ and then the smell of smoke. The victim’s roommate, meanwhile, said that Elie had gone down to the second floor to do laundry but did not return.”

“Police said Elie was discovered with ‘visible signs of trauma’ near where a small fire was burning. Fire crews were able to quickly put out the flames, but Elie was pronounced dead at the scene,” CBC reports.

Elie was a beloved DJ in Toronto’s gay village and played frequently at Pegasus and Woody’s.

Police released very clear surveillance video of the suspect, 27-year-old Rico Harvey, and Harvey was later arrested. Harvey has been charged with one count of second degree murder, CBC adds.

CP24 adds: “A motive for the homicide remains unclear, though police have previously said that there appeared to be no previous relationship between the suspect and Elie and that they likely encountered each other for the first time that morning.”

An earlier report on the killing:

The post Man Arrested in Horrific Killing of Popular Gay DJ in Toronto appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

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A Global Report Card on LGBTQ+ Rights for IDAHOBIT

From Brunei to Brazil, Budapest to Boise, LGBTQ+ people are fighting for their lives and dignity.

www.advocate.com/commentary/2020/5/17/global-report-card-lgbtq-rights-idahobit