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cases than any other area of the country and I explain Macon's HIV/AIDS history over the past 30 years to help them understand the necessity of this work. ATLANTA HAS LONG BEEN AN HIV HOTBED. IN 2017, GEORGIA WAS NO. 1 FOR NEW HIV CASES AND FOURTH IN PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV. WHAT ARE MACON'S LATEST STATISTICS? DALE WRIGLEY: Considering Georgia's 18 different health districts, Macon ranks sixth in number of HIV disease cases (HIV and AIDS together). We have more than 100 new infections annually with a lot of people who fall out of care or are intransigent. We're affected by our proximity to Atlanta. People spend time there, but live here, which causes a constant state of flux. In the last three years, a lot of people have moved to Macon. They come here for care, but with HIV, wherever you're diagnosed, that's where you remain a case. So, our numbers could be much higher. TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE MACON'S HISTORICALLY CONSISTENTLY HIGH NUMBER OF CASES OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS? DALE WRIGLEY: Lack of education is a risk factor — how it's transmitted and what it means. The stigma around sexuality is tremendous, which causes people to be silent. DR. HAROLD KATNER: I'm still seeing patients in denial or who aren't compliant. I explain the importance of staying on therapy by saying, "A virus can put DNA in your DNA. Before taking the medicine, the switches were on and you were making billions of baby viruses. Medicine turns off the switches and when you take it daily the switch stays off, the virus stays at zero and your systems heal so you can live a normal life. But if you stop taking the medicine, the virus returns, and when you start and stop medication, the switch breaks and it doesn't work anymore." DEMARCUS BECKHAM: Several things. We live in the Bible Belt, so religion plays a part. And because of the stigma, people in the LGBT community who are sexually active don't disclose their status. Macon also has a huge opioid epidemic and needle sharing plays a role. Geographically, Macon has three of Georgia's largest interstates. At truck stops and in Macon there's a lot of sex trafficking, and consequently, a lot of risk. Poverty and lack of education contribute to the number of cases. Schools remain reluctant to educate students about HIV/AIDS, leaving our youth at a disadvantage in the area of self-protection. Schools can teach about HIV and still maintain abstinence- based education. WHAT'S THE MOST DISPIRITING ASPECT OF FIGHTING HIV/AIDS IN MIDDLE GEORGIA? DALE WRIGLEY: Isolation. Either people are isolated of their own accord or isolate themselves. Also, community health literacy about HIV. People incorrectly think HIV/AIDS doesn't exist anymore or that it went away. DR. HAROLD KATNER: The number of new cases. Every new case is a failure because it means we're not adequately educating our children or the population. HIV is completely preventable and education is a key. Putting people on therapy means that viral loads should be zero and people shouldn't be transmitting it. DEMARCUS BECKHAM: I've seen people younger than 13 contract this virus. The public needs to understand the severity of the disease. But if we catch it early, it can be managed. STDs like HIV can be treated. It's all about individuals requesting the resources available. WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST HOPE? DALE WRIGLEY: Every day there are medical and social advances. I meet wonderful people in the community and at COMPASS Cares who acknowledge that HIV exists and who want to help. We have a community advisory board and the new district attorney, Anita Howard, is a member and the new mayor, Lester Miller, attended the HOPE Center's grand opening in May 2019. DR. HAROLD KATNER: Continuing to promote and teach our children and the community that HIV is for life and it's expensive and complicated if not managed. It's critical that we focus on prevention and education. We need to support COMPASS to provide care, which reduces transmission. We just completed a new study on injections with two shots every Profile of 2018 HIV/AIDS Patients in Macon (latest statistics) 128 cases 92 male, 36 female 106 black/non-Hispanic; 16 white/non-Hispanic 58 are age 20-29; 28 are ages 30-39; 21 are ages 40-49 48 male-to-male sexual contact; 45 unknown; 32 heterosexual contact 86 maconmagazine.com | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021