Staying well during the festival season

Festivals take place all over the UK during the summer months and attract thousands of visitors from across the country and overseas. Festivals can be great fun but we encourage those attending festivals to stay well and be aware of possible risks to their health including infectious diseases such as measles, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and heat-related illness such as sun burn.

Cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain high, and these infections continue to particularly affect young people aged 15 to 24 years, and gay and bisexual men.

In this summer festival season, UKHSA is reminding everyone having sex with new or casual partners before or at festivals to wear a condom and get tested for STIs regularly, whatever their age or sexual orientation.

Many people do not show symptoms which means people often pass on STIs without realising it. STIs can pose serious consequences to your own health and that of your current or future sexual partners.

Using condoms is important to prevent spread of STIs and HIV and is a key tool in looking after our sexual health and wellbeing.

Everyone should get an STI screen, including an HIV test at least once a year, if having condom-less sex with new or casual partners – even if they don’t have any symptoms.

Devon Sexual Health also offers online testing, which means people can order self-sampling kits using our website, take them in the privacy of their own home, send them off to a laboratory for testing and receive results either by text, phone call or post.

With lots of people coming together and mixing closely, festivals can present the perfect opportunity for infections, like measles, to spread and it’s really important to stay up to date with your vaccinations.

And don’t forget to stay well in the heat by drinking water throughout the day and wearing hats and sun cream. Most health risks can be avoided by taking simple steps to protect yourself and others.