HIV Scotland
promoting positive change
promoting positive change
HIV cannot be passed on through every day social contact. You may already know that drinking from the same cup, sharing toilets, or shaking hands are no risk for HIV. The only risks are those you can find out about elsewhere in this website. It is worth thinking about simple precautions for keeping everyone in the home or workplace safe. This will protect the individual living with HIV as much as others. Remember that you may not know if anyone close to you is HIV positive.
The usual question about protecting oneself is in the case of blood spillages. Cases where blood spillage has resulted in HIV infection are extremely rare; perhaps only one or two cases can be attributed to this. Even if you work in the emergency services where you should take all protection precautions, the risk from people with HIV is minimal. See HIV Scotland and Managing Health at Work.
Because there is a risk of other infections, take simple precautions in case of blood or other body fluid spillages by cleaning immediately, using rubber gloves and bleach where appropriate.
When someone confides in you that they have HIV it’s a sign of trust. It is important to reassure your friend, partner or family member that you will not breach trust and respect their wishes.