A new gonorrhoea vaccination programme will commence in Northern Ireland in August and the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging eligible people to make an appointment for vaccination to help protect them and their sexual partners against infection. From August, eligible people, which includes gay men, bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) who have a recent history of multiple sexual partners or a sexually transmitted infection (STI), will start to be offered the vaccine, with two doses advised. This follows advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

With society reopening and opportunities for people to meet up and socialise being restored, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging people to avail of sexual health testing if they are sexually active or intending to become sexually active soon. Dr Gillian Armstrong, Interim Head of Health Protection at the PHA, said: “During the height of the pandemic many Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) clinics were initially closed to visitors and access to Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) screening became limited for some. The reduction of STI testing and diagnosis noted in 2020 may mean an increase in