THIS MONTH...
PRIME and COVID-19
We’re making some changes during the COVID-19 outbreak. We’re still open but we need your help to significantly reduce our workload. Many of our staff will be working on the wards and others will become unwell. We also need to reduce the number of people in our waiting areas to keep them safe. Please help us keep our emergency services running. Stay away from the clinic unless your problem is urgent.
We are still here for urgent problems. For example if you have:- Had significant HIV risk and need PEP
- Discharge from your penis or anus (arse)
- Been diagnosed with an STI and need treatment
Please DO NOT come into the clinic under ANY circumstances if you have fever or a cough.
On PrEP?
Our PrEP services remain open, but it would really help us if you could make your existing PrEP supplies last as long as possible. This is to reduce attendance at the clinic. There are no concerns that we will run out of the drug. Many people have stopped having sex to reduce their COVID-19 risk. If you are not currently at risk of HIV, why not take a break from PrEP? An alternative would be to switch to ‘event based’ dosing.Safely stopping daily PrEP
Anal sex - You can safely stop PrEP if you have taken 2 daily doses since your last risk.
Shared injection needles – Continue PrEP for 7 days after the last risk before stopping.
Restarting daily PrEP.
You can restart daily PrEP very quickly by taking 2 PrEP tablets. You’ll have HIV protection for anal sex two hours later. Continue to take one pill every day to maintain protection.Event based PrEP
Event based PrEP is a great way to make your meds go further. It’s only suitable for people whose main HIV risk is from condomless anal sex. Take 2 tablets. You’ll be protected after 2 hours. Continue to take PrEP everyday while the risk continues. You can safely stop once you’ve taken 2 daily doses after your last risk.If you are running out of PrEP.
Do you need PrEP at the moment? Would it be safe to stop for a while?
If you get your PrEP through ‘PrEP Shop’ or ‘Generation ZERO’ you can email us as normal for further supplies. You do not need to come into Dean Street Express for tests.
However, the IMPACT study requires people to come into Dean Street Express to be tested and pick up supplies. We are currently dispensing 6 months of PrEP so that you won’t need to come back for several months. We are limiting the number of people inside Dean Street Express. If the clinic is busy we will give you a timeslot to return to pick up your drugs.
Routine check ups
Please do not use Dean Street Express for routine testing. Order a home test kit via our website. Call us on 020 3315 5656 if you need treatment. We’ll be here to help.
Been in contact with an infection?
You have the option to test at home. If you have no symptoms you can wait until after the window period and test. We’ll be here if you need treatment. If you need advice call us on 020 3315 5656.
Gonorrhoea & Chlamydia - Test 2 weeks after exposure
HIV - Test 4 weeks after exposure
Syphilis - Test 6 weeks after exposure
