After years of lockdowns and restrictions, life is beginning to feel a bit more normal. As we all go back to some sense of pre-pandemic life, one area that doctors are currently warning about is a rise in sexually transmitted infections. 

After months of separation, it is only natural that people are drawn back to each other. However, this is also leading to a rise in unprotected sex. Research has shown that there is a growing trend of gonorrhoea, syphilis and chlamydia in Northern Ireland over the recent few years, particularly in comparison to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Not all protection will help protect against STIs. Even amongst those that do, no protection is 100% effective in protecting against the spread sexually transmitted diseases. However, there are steps we can take to make sure that our protection is as effective as...