Guidance and Resources During Disruption of STD Clinical Services

CDC is committed to offering guidance to STD prevention programs, including STD clinics, on providing effective care and prevention when facility-based services and in-person patient-clinician contact is limited, such as during the current COVID-19 pandemic. This page contains resources that can help ensure patients receive the best possible care during this time.

Dear Colleague Letters

Shortage of STI Diagnostic Test Kits and Laboratory Suppliespdf icon (September 8, 2020)

• Updated: Diagnostic Kit Shortage (November 24, 2020)

Providing effective care and prevention when facility-based services and in-person patient-clinician contact is limitedpdf icon (April 6, 2020)

• Update: STD Treatment Optionspdf icon (May 13, 2020)
• STD Treatment Options During COVID-19 Webinar
  • Powerpoint Presentation pdf icon[PDF – 719 KB]
  • Webinar Recordingexternal icon

Partner Services and Contact Tracing Resources

Training and information for Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) and others working on contact tracing

COVID-19 Command Center for STD Programs from the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD)external icon

Testing for STDs Outside of Healthcare Settings/Clinics

There are currently no FDA-cleared self-tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis, the most commonly reported STDs in the U.S. However, there are options for “at-home specimen collection,” which allows a patient to collect their own vaginal, rectal or oral specimen or blood sample and take or mail it to a lab for testing. There is an FDA-approved HIV self-test. These options could be useful when in-person services are not available or feasible. Please see the Dear Colleague Letters linked above for other STD prevention and care telehealth services and innovative approaches that may be useful to consider.

Resources

• HIV Home Specimen Collection
• HIV Self-Testing
• Telemedicine in Sexual and Reproductive Healthexternal icon
• STD Clinic Resourcesexternal icon

Providing Non-Vaccine Injectables

STD clinics may need to find alternate ways to deliver non-vaccine injectables such as ceftriaxone and benzathine penicillin G. Where allowed, clinics may want to consider referring STD patients to pharmacists for the delivery of these injectables.

Resources

National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) Resource Pageexternal icon

Pharmacist Authority Mappdf iconexternal icon

COVID-19 information – compilation of state actions affecting pharmacyexternal icon

COVID-19 resources from HRSAexternal icon