October 16, 2008

HIV Scare Hits St. Louis High School

St. Louis County Health Department officials will offer HIV tests at Normandy High School later this month after a public health inspection determined that several of its students may have been exposed to HIV, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

According to the article, the school’s 1,300 students were sent home on Monday, October 13, with letters advising their parents to talk to them about getting tested if they have had unprotected sex. A week earlier, an HIV diagnosis was traced to students at the school.

“There is concern, but we really don’t want to raise alarms here,” said health department spokesman Craig LeFebvre. “This is not some major new outbreak or method of transmission, and there’s no evidence to suggest it was deliberately being spread.”

The Post-Dispatch reports that about 5 percent of people who test HIV positive in the St. Louis region are diagnosed as teenagers.

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Previous Comments:

Tajahi, St. Louis,MO, 2008-10-21 18:21:56
I am a former student of the Normandy School District& I really feel that this situation if very distrubing The schools really responsible for this They lack communication with students as well as staff They look at kids as just income for the district They need more sex-ed in the schools so students will know the risks of unprotected sex If a child can't talk to their parents they should have an outlet at school They should invest in a free school clinic for high school&junior high students

Fallenangelntn, Nashville,Tn, 2008-10-21 13:32:08
And this is a prime first rated example of why we need full open sex education on all levels to show children the dangers of unprotected sex and then educating the parents that a teen boy wearing and learning about condoms is going to keep him and others safe.I feel sorry for any kids being told they are now Poz but it should be taking back to the parents being held responsible for teaching their kids.