The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is launching a Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance (SHAG) campaign in collaboration with the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme today, 12th February 2018.
The campaign will be rolled out in campuses across Ireland over Valentines week, with the tagline of ‘Are You Getting It?’ If you’re getting it, then you’re getting STI information and testing, getting contraception advice and getting consent.
Speaking ahead of the launch, USI President Michael Kerrigan said, “This year, we’re asking students ‘are you getting it?’ when it comes to STI tests and consent. It’s important that every student who’s sexually active look after their own sexual health. This means getting tested regularly, using condoms to protect you from the risk of contracting an STI”
Helen Deely, Head of the HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme said,
“We would actively encourage people who are thinking of having sex or are sexually active, to think ahead and practice safer sex. Using a condom will help limit the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection and an unplanned pregnancy. The HSE is delighted to partner with USI on this initiative and the Johnny’s Got You Covered campaign team will be on hand to distribute condoms and lubricant to students”
The HSE Johnny’s Got You Covered campaign team will be on location at IT Carlow, Waterford IT and NUI Maynooth University. The SHAG road show will continue up to Queens University Belfast
Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) provisional records show that in 2017, there were 5200 cases of young people diagnosed with either, chlamydia (n=3730), gonorrhea (n=872) or genital herpes (n=598), representing an 11.2% increase of these STIs in this age group (15-24) when compared to 2016 figures
In 2017, the HSE in partnership with USI distributed 40,000 condoms and lubricant packs to students as part of the #SHAG 2017 campaign.