Over the past year & still til today there've been ongoing reports of HIV, Hep C & heroin usage in small town & rural America. I read an article this morning concerning the suburbs of Atlanta. The place was different but the story was the same.
These places are in economic turmoil. These people often to turn to risky outlets for handling their situations, like self medicating with heroin. Most of these places have little in the way HIV or Hep C education/testing. Virtually none of them have needle exchange programs or efforts to promote safer sex, such as free condoms.
Bad economics, no prospects, heroin & desperate people are a dangerous combination. It's just a matter of time before someone has some blood-borne or sexually transmitted illness that spreads like wildfire due to shared needles & risky sex.
These small towns are tinderboxes for an inferno to burn through these areas. Most of the officials want nothing to do with serious prevention efforts. That might be seen as condoning sex or drug use. Few, if any of these places are prepared for the outbreaks just waiting to happen, like those in Indiana.
We need a better economy & more jobs. These people need hope, But, all we can do here & now is try to educate them & give them the tools to avoid contracting/spreading these illnesses. Sadly, I doubt that will ever happen no matter how many of these little towns go up in proverbial flames.
Cya...
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