AIDS Foundation of Chicago launches resource center for COVID-19

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago has launched an online resource center to provide new coronavirus information for the HIV positive population.

With a lot of uncertainty about the virus, as well as the potential high-risk for those in the HIV positive population, the foundation’s CEO John Peller told Health News Illinois it is vital they get as much information out as possible.

The information cobbled together from community partners and health providers include harm reduction guidelines, hotlines and contacts for local resources.

“The way the community has come together and so many of our incredible organizational partners have come together to share information has just been incredible,” Peller said. “And so we just want to play a role in putting it out there and not reinventing the wheel.”

So far, he said the data shows that those who are receiving treatment for HIV and responding well to it are not at a higher risk than the general population. The focus of the organization is to protect those who perhaps are not successfully being treated or with other health conditions.

“We really see our role right now as helping to keep people with HIV healthy so that we don’t end up with lots of people with HIV in the hospital, which really could happen if folks aren’t careful,” he said.

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