STI Prevention

Sexually transmitted infections are preventable! The only 100% effective method of STI prevention is abstinence, which means not having sex. Other than abstinence, there are two main ways to prevent STIs: barriers and medication.

Barrier methods prevent body fluids from one person from getting into another person's body, and they prevent some skin contact. They help prevent all kinds of STIs. They include:

• Condoms (for vaginal and anal sex, and oral sex on a penis)

• Dental dams (for oral sex on a vulva/vagina or anus)

• Finger cots or gloves (for manual sex)

Medication methods prevent ​a virus from causing an infection or provide immunity to a specific virus through a vaccine. They only reduce the possibility of transmitting specific STIs. They include:

• HPV vaccine

• Hepatitis B vaccine

• PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis, a once-daily pill that prevents HIV)

• HIV PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis, a month-long dose of medication that prevents HIV if someone has been exposed to it)​

In Illinois, someone needs to be 12 years old or older to access STI prevention methods without parent or guardian knowledge or permission. 

Access STI prevention methods

Most STI barrier prevention methods (condoms, dental dams, gloves, and finger cots) can be found for purchase in pharmacies, sexual health stores, or online. They can also be found for free in most sexual health clinics.

CPS Condom Availability Program

Students in CPS, grades 5-12, should have access to free condoms. Condoms are provided at no cost by the Chicago Department of Public Health in an ongoing effort to mitigate the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection, and unintended pregnancy among CPS students. Condoms must be made available for students to freely take if they choose and should be located somewhere that is accessible. Ask your school counselor, a teacher, or any staff member at your school to learn where the condoms are in your school. 

If your school doesn't have condoms available contact CPS's Office of Student Health & Wellness, 773-553-KIDS (5437), OSHW@CPS.EDU.

PrEP and PEP: HIV Prevention

PrEP: If someone doesn't have HIV, they can take a daily medicine (sometimes called PrEP, which stands for "pre-exposure prophylaxis," a.k.a. prevention) to help prevent HIV. PrEP requires a prescription. If you do not have health insurance, or don't want to use it to pay for PrEP, you have options! The Illinois PrEP Assistance Program can help someone pay for PrEP. Their hotline is 1-800-825-3518, and their website is linked below.

PEP: If someone doesn’t have HIV but thinks they may have been exposed to HIV, they can start PEP, which stands for Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. PEP is a medication someone can take to prevent HIV AFTER being exposed to HIV. If someone thinks they've been exposed to HIV, they can get PEP from a doctor's office or an emergency room. PEP is more effective the earlier someone starts taking it, and it must be started within 72 hours (3 days) of exposure.

Have you heard of U=U?

U=U means Undetectable = Untransmittable. When a person living with HIV is on effective treatment, the treatment lowers the amount of HIV in the blood. When the levels are low enough, it is referred to as an undetectable viral load. When the viral load is undetectable, HIV cannot be passed sexually. It could still be helpful to use condoms or other STI prevention methods, because there are other STIs, in addition to HIV, to prevent. And If someone stops their treatment, the amount of HIV in their blood will increase and eventually they will be able to transmit it to others.