Pride is health too: 6 surefire methods for a safer summer

Summer brings heat, encounters, parties, and lots of desire, but it is also a crucial time that can be strategic for strengthening your sexual health and that of your loved ones. At GAT, we are ready to support you with more screenings, more access to PrEP, more vaccinations, and more community care.

Combined prevention is a powerful strategy that puts care at the center of pleasure, freedom, and pride. Discover here 6 essential methods to live your summer safely, lightly, and proudly—and how you can access each of these foolproof methods.

Now with community PrEP consultations taking place at GAT Checkpoint LX and GAT Intendente, prevention with PrEP is closer to the community. Anyone who is interested and is not yet receiving PrEP consultations at hospitals can register their interest on this form.

6 surefire methods for a safer summer

1. PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis)

PEP is an emergency treatment that helps prevent HIV infection after risky sexual activity. It is recommended, for example, if you have had sex without a condom with someone whose HIV status is unknown or who has been diagnosed as HIV-positive with a detectable viral load.

The sooner you start, the more effective it is, as it is recommended to start PEP within the first 72 hours after exposure. This treatment is available in selected public hospitals and consists of taking antiretroviral medication daily for 4 weeks.

If you think you have been at risk, don't wait. Go to a hospital emergency room as soon as possible. If you still have questions, read our information leaflet on PEP.

2. Vaccination

Vaccination is increasingly recognized as an important ally in preventing sexually transmitted infections such as mpox and hepatitis A—both of which have recently seen outbreaks that disproportionately affect men who have sex with men and LGBTQIA+ people.

These infections can have serious complications, but they are preventable with proper vaccination, which reduces the risk of infection and progression to serious illness. Vaccination is an effective way to ensure a safer and healthier sex life, even for people living with HIV, who benefit from reducing the burden on their immune system.

If you have a vaccination record, bring it with you and we will help you update your vaccination status in the health information system.

Schedule your vaccination at GAT Checkpoint LX and GAT Intendente, or at other GAT services, and increase your protection!

3. Screening

Early detection of HIV is only possible with regular screening. In general, it is recommended that people who engage in frequent risky sexual practices be screened every 3 months.

In addition to HIV, GAT offers a combined screening in which tests for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis are performed during the same appointment. Infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, which may be present without symptoms, should be screened with equal regularity during a medical appointment, which you can also schedule at the GAT Checkpoint LX and GAT Intendente centers.

If you prefer not to make an appointment, our GAT Move-se units are available in Lisbon and the Setúbal Peninsula to welcome you for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and C screening.

Get screened at GAT and keep your sexual health up to date and safe.

4. Condoms

When used correctly, condoms provide a highly effective physical barrier against HIV and several other STIs. They are one of the best-known and still essential tools for prevention today. Currently, there are condoms for the anus, vulva, or penis in various sizes, materials, and textures, including models that are almost imperceptible to the touch—adapted to different bodies and preferences.

At all GAT services, you can collect free regular condoms for yourself and to share with your sexual partners, whether internal or external condoms.

5. PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)

Community consultation at GAT Intendente and GAT Checkpoint LX

Register your interest in the GAT PrEP consultation here

PrEP is an HIV prevention strategy aimed at HIV-negative people, i.e., those who do not live with the virus. It consists of taking antiretroviral drugs before sexual intercourse, with the aim of preventing infection in case of exposure to the virus.

It is a safe, effective method recommended for people who are sexually active, especially if they regularly engage in risky sexual practices, such as not using condoms.

Access to PrEP requires a medical consultation, tests, and regular clinical follow-up, and you can now do this at GAT Checkpoint LX and GAT Intendente, subject to availability and by registering your interest on the registration form.

6. TasP – Treatment as Prevention

Treatment as Prevention (TasP) is a strategy based on scientific evidence: when a person with HIV takes antiretroviral medication correctly for at least 6 months, their viral load becomes so low that it is not possible to transmit the virus to other people — even during sexual intercourse without a condom.

This evidence is known as Undetectable = Untransmittable (i=i) and revolutionizes the way we think about HIV and sexual health. Read 6 stories of people who are undetectable and untransmittable for HIV at cad.vih.pt/transmissivel

Take care of your sexual health at GAT centers

This summer, between parties, kisses exchanged on the street, sweat on bodies, endurance dances, and impromptu dips at the beach, take with you the care for the desire to live without fear and for the celebration of your pride.

At GAT, you have access to rapid tests, vaccines, PrEP, condoms, and a safe space to take care of your sexual health with freedom, dignity, and pride, without judgment or taboos.

Before the next after-party, schedule your screenings and update your vaccines at our centers. After the after-party, the summer is yours, as are your pride and health. Protect those you love.

Contacts for appointments:

GAT Checkpoint LX
Community center for men who have sex with men (MSM) for STI prevention, screening, and treatment, counseling, and referral to the National Health Service.
+351 910 693 158

GAT Intendente
Community center with confidential and free services for HIV and other STIs, aimed at sex workers (SW), transgender people, non-binary people, migrants, and homeless people.
+351 919 613 092

Our centers are open to anyone, and we give priority to the populations that each center is aimed at.