Brief: Supporting HIV Programs Through COVID-19 and Beyond is Critical to Improving Health Equity

HIV, hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) community-based organizations, activists, researchers, and providers have provided critical leadership in response to COVID-19. While laudable, these efforts, along with stay-at-home orders, the physical closure of clinics and programs, and the economic crisis from mass joblessness, have led to treatment delays and fewer people receiving adequate prevention services. Growing state and local budget crises also place HIV programs at risk of funding cuts. The Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative brought the first substantial increases in discretionary HIV funding in years. Reduced support for the EHE and HIV programs amid the COVID-19 crisis could stall or reverse important recent HIV progress.

Read the Big Ideas in Brief here.

Read the Big Ideas here.