These days, we all know that HIV isn’t a death sentence. Thanks to modern medicine, people with HIV can live long, healthy and thoroughly normal lives – something that only a few decades ago would have been the stuff of miracles.
All this said, if you think you may have been exposed to HIV, it’s understandable that you’d be worried. Don’t panic – if you deal with the situation promptly there’s a reliable way to reduce your risk: post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
“Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may stop you developing an HIV infection if you’ve been exposed to the virus,” explains Michael Brady, medical director of the Terrence Higgins Trust. “It is most likely to work if it is taken ASAP, ideally within 24 hours of the risk and certainly within 72 hours.”
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