Make sure to take condoms!

Make the right choice this summer! Make sure to take condoms!

We forget everything when we are on holiday: our routine, worries, responsibilities, along with everything else.
This time of enjoyment and frivolity creates the perfect environment for meeting new people, often leading to romantic and sexual encounters.

Before the summer holiday season, the Ministry of Health has teamed up with the Aidsberodung service of the Red Cross to launch a new summer awareness campaign. The aim of this campaign is to remind young – and older – people to think about condoms before they set off. It also highlights the needs for frank and open discussions between parents and children.

The spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Over 20 sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been identified. The most well-known are syphilis, gonorrhoea, HIV/AIDS, mycoplasma genitalium, chlamydia, HPV (human papillomavirus) and genital herpes.

While most STIs do not cause directly visible symptoms, they can have serious health consequences (infertility following a chlamydia infection, certain cancers following a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, AIDS following an HIV infection). The spread of STIs is a concern in all parts of the world and the risk of infection may vary significantly from one country to another. That is why protection against these infections is more important today than ever.

Condoms: the simple weapon to fight STIs

Always using a condom when having casual sex can prevent sexually transmitted infections. The condoms that are available to buy in some countries do not always meet European quality standards. This is why it is important to think ahead and remember to take condoms with you.

With the slogan 'Make the right choice this summer! ', the awareness campaign comprises posters, billboards, post cards distributed in entertainment venues, 2 radio ads and a Facebook campaign. It will run from 30 June to 31 July. Packets of 'Don't forget me!' condoms will be distributed throughout the first 2 weeks of July.

Furthermore, the 'Guide to Young People's Emotional and Sexual Health' provides information in 3 languages (French, German, Portuguese) and will be distributed to secondary schools, youth centres and other services aimed at adolescents.

Any institutions interested in joining the campaign can order the following items while stocks last: DIN A3 posters, post cards and brochures, from the Preventive Medicine Department (Division de la médecine préventive) of the Health Directorate (Direction de la Santé). You can order them online by clicking on the relevant item below.