It is unclear from this online assessment whether your partner has come into contact with HIV. It is not clear whether they would meet the prescribing criteria for PEP if you went to a clinic (or accident and emergency) within 72 hours of the time you were at risk.
What to do now
The risks you took mean you have quite a low chance of having HIV. This could be because:
- there is only a moderate risk of HIV being passed from the sexual activities you reported
When people have been put at risk of HIV there's a treatment called PEP that may prevent HIV infection after the virus has entered the body:
- PEP stands for Post Exposure Prophylaxis
- It involves taking anti-HIV drugs for 4 weeks
- It must be started as soon as possible after unsafe sex or a condom not working – ideally within 24 hours but definitely within 72 hours (3 days)
- There can be side effects such as diarrhoea, nausea and prolonged headaches
- PEP isn’t guaranteed to work.
As your partner's risk is low and happened over 72 hours ago it's unlikely a doctor will think PEP could help them.
If you are still worried you should talk to a sexual health clinic or hospital accident and emergency department as soon as possible about what they recommend you do next. They can advise you about getting an HIV test.
Your partner will need to explain to the doctor when and how your partner was at risk and any other relevant information (eg. your partner’s HIV status, the type of sex you had etc).
PEP is not a cure for HIV and is not guaranteed to prevent HIV from taking hold once the virus has entered the body. Condoms and lube for sex remain the most efficient way of preventing the spread of HIV.
If your partner can't get PEP
If your partner can't get PEP it's important to remember that even though they have been at risk of HIV it doesn't mean that transmission has occurred.
The only way to know this for sure is to take an HIV test. We recommend talking to someone at the hospital or clinic about getting tested.
If you do have HIV, it's far better to know as treatment means you can expect to live a long and healthy life, whereas if you don't treat HIV it's likely you'll become ill.
Also, if they have been at risk from HIV, there is a chance they may have picked up other infections as well. They can be checked for these confidentially at any sexual health clinic.
We're here for you
Remember, whatever happens we're here for you both. If you'd like help or support all you need to do is get in touch with THT Direct.