Like Sandy and Danny from Grease, I find myself reflecting on summer loving! It did go by fast—the summer, not the loving. I will tell you that I have had a blast this summer and met many guys who were supportive of our HIV outreach efforts! Many men visited the shores of Rehoboth this summer and had some fabulous times! Some came to the beach for some sun but might have ended up with something else. Now is the time for a sexual health check-up to make sure you didn’t just get burned by the sun, stung by a jellyfish or had a run-in with sea lice!

Peace of mind is the main reason many guys want to know if they have HIV. If you are concerned about something that might have happened this summer, get a check-up so you can stop needless worrying. If you find out you have HIV or a nasty STD, you can make informed choices about your health.

Finding out you have HIV sooner rather than later can have a big impact on your health. According to gay men’s health experts, "People who wait until they are sick before having an HIV test are ten times more likely to die in the first year than people who tested earlier on." Finding out you have HIV soon after you catch it also gives you more treatment options and you have a better chance of the treatments working well.

Some people in committed relationships have negotiated sex with others as part of their relationship patterns. If you took advantage of that clause this summer, it is important to know that both you and your boyfriend are HIV-free before you have sex without condoms. The CDC reports that over half of the men who have HIV don’t even know it. "Over half of the men who have HIV but don’t know it have tested negative in the past." It’s best to have the test to be sure.

So, start off the fall right and make sure you, and if you are in an open relationship, both you and your partner get tested for HIV. It is simple, easy and accurate. Don’t let your summer loving come to an unhealthy end. Know your status, protect yourself, protect your partner.

Sal Seeley is Program Director of CAMPsafe, an HIV/AIDS program funded through a contract with the Delaware Division of Public Health. E-mail salvatoreseeley@aol.com. Confidential HIV testing is available at CAMP Rehoboth. Call Sal at 302-227-5620 to schedule an appointment.