Show We can stop AIDS Robert Austin tells S crowd Y by Christa McKinnon A Arts Editor seats were hard to find on Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednes Wednes- E EMPTY day Jan 24 in the College Center parlors B Band and C. C That's because Robert Austin was there and Robert Austin talks about AIDS Serving as the Utah coordinator for the Stop AIDS program Austin informed the crowd that people have died from AIDS Nationwide there have been diagnosed cases here in Utah Some people are surprised AIDS is an issue said Austin People think AIDS is somewhere else like San Francisco or New York But it was made very clear dear that AIDS is here And it is here to stay unless as Austin said we all make the commitment to take care of ourselves The only valid ways to get AIDS is through blood semen vaginal secretions mothers milk or in reported Austin AIDS isn't an easy thing to get Austin dispelled myths that AIDS is transmitted transmitted transmitted trans trans- through handshakes mosquitos cats ticks dog bites and hot tubs He even noted that through french kissing it takes 20 quarts of saliva to put you at risk If kissing did transmit the virus we would probably have open graves in each city Joked Austin But AIDS is no laughing matter Its symptoms include diarrhea night sweats nausea severe weight loss loss of bowel movements dehydration and thrush thrush all all leading to the final stage death Once a person is infected with AIDS there may be no symptoms for 15 10 years Al Although Although Although Al- Al though there are no symptoms the infected person can infect others during this period w called the latency pe period iod The only way vay to find out ones one's status is to be tested Austin suggested being tested by the Salt Lake County Health Department which administers administers ad ad- ministers a confidential test for 10 or an anonymous test for 20 The confidential test uses a name and the anonymous uses a number Whether we stop AIDS 10 or 20 years from now depends on what we do today explained Austin As IV drug users arc the fastest growing AIDS population prevention entails not sharing needles spoons cotton- cotton balls or syringes See A Aids ids on page 3 AIDS Continued from page 1 Other ways to reduce the risk of AIDS is abstaining from sex or only having sex with partners whose HIV status you know Austin warns Unless you know their status assume they are positive Condoms can also help but are not foolproof If condoms are used for protection of HIV HW H they must be latex and not lambskin advises Austin with 9 and water- water based lubricants rather than oil-based oil are also helpful in protection against AIDS There is no cure or vaccinations vaccinations vaccinations vac vac- for AIDS and only a few drugs slow down the replication of the virus One of the most common keeps patients healthy up to 18 months to two years longer but it attacks bone marrow and can cause the same effects as chemotherapy We know we can stop AIDS said Austin What is boils down to is personal commitment |