NHS issues Bank Holiday weekend warning to millions over expected surge in STIs

28 April 2023 , 21:27

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Brits are being urged to be extra safe over the coming Bank Holidays (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

NHS staff are expecting a surge in STIs in the wake of upcoming Bank Holidays, as Brits are warned to take care when getting frisky.

Sexually-transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhoea are already know to rise in the aftermath of Bank Holiday weekends as revellers go out and enjoy themselves.

Now the country is being urged to wrap up ahead of a month with three extra days off.

The day after last year's May Day Bank Holiday saw 6,840 visits to the STIs section of the NHS site to check symptoms, a surge of 38%.

NHS sexual health consultant Dr John White said: "Bank holidays give people a chance to have fun.

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"For some people this might result in the need to get checked for STIs or access emergency contraception."

(Getty)

Last year's four-day Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend meanwhile saw a hike in page visits to 7,628 on Monday, June 6.

There was also a peak following the August bank holiday weekend with 7,774 visits on Tuesday, August 30.

May this year will have an extra Bank Holiday due to the King's Coronation, namely Monday, May 1, May 8 and the Spring Bank Holiday on May 29.

With three weekends of potential partying and socialising, Brits are being urged to take care as NHS services currently face major staffing pressures.

NHS doctor Robert Cleary said: "Our Find a sexual health clinic page is designed to help people search for the most appropriate service to meet their health needs.

"The NHS website is available every day of the year for anyone who needs it and provides information and advice in easy-to-understand language on a wide range of conditions.

"It is accessible for all and easy for people to receive health advice and support from a trustworthy source."

Some 311,604 STIs were recorded in England in 2021, the most recent data from the Health Department shows, a small increase (0.5%) from 2020, and a decrease of 33.2% since 2019.

The Covid lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 saw a huge drop in reported STIs as Brits forwent casual sex and were confined to their homes.

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According to the Government data, STIs are most prevalent among young people aged 15 to 24 years, certain Black ethnic groups, and biological men with male sexual partners.

Susie Beever