'It's not a death sentence': Jersey counsellor calls for better education on HIV and AIDS

A Jersey counsellor says there's a "40-year knowledge gap" about HIV transmission and treatment on the island.

James Videgrain, from Liberate Jersey, says that stigmas arising from the AIDS crisis in the 1980s continue to plague people's understanding of the disease today.

James made his comments at a training session hosted by the island's LGBT+ equality and diversity charity to commemorate World AIDS Day (Sunday 1 December).

The talk was hosted as part of Liberate's HIV education programme which is designed to debunk myths about what it's like to live with HIV - the virus that causes AIDS - in 2024.

The session also provided information about how to prevent HIV transmission, how HIV is treated today, how it can become untransmittable, and where people can go for testing and support.

Liberate hopes this kind of education will prevent the prejudice and discrimination still suffered by HIV-positive people in the workplace.

James says: "People still think HIV is a death sentence. People are quite fearful about how infectious people are and how it's transmitted.

"People's knowledge has not necessarily been updated since the 1980s when they saw those tombstone adverts on TV.

"Actually, we're in such a different place. You can't pass on the virus once you're on effective treatment, you can have completely normal relationships.

"It's not a death sentence - you live a normal lifespan. "

James adds that educating people in Jersey will reduce their fear levels and reduce stigma and discrimination.

He also says the best way to prevent the virus is for people of all sexual orientations to ensure they are being regularly tested for the virus.