MUSIC FESTIVAL GIVES YOU VIP PASS IF YOU TEST FOR STD

If you went to the “Splendour in the Grass Festival” in Byron Bay, Australia, this past weekend, you could have gotten a VIP pass if you had taken a test for a sexually transmitted disease. The government has launched what they call the Down to Test program where festival-goers provide a urine sample which is tested for chlamydia, a disease that can cause infertility if left untreated. Since the program launched last year, almost 2,500 young people have been tested, with 71 testing positive. The chlamydia test is confidential, takes less than five minutes and as a result can be ready in a few days via text or a phone call. Officials believe that music festivals present an opportunity to reach a target audience, raise awareness of STDs and reduce the stigma around testing. And results show the program is working. The VIP tent offered a ‘chill out’ area, free phone charging, clean toilets, a makeup bar and peace of mind.
* If nothing else, do it for the clean toilets.
* A VIP pass – Very Infected Person.
* They should test everybody going OUT of the festival, not going in.
* Raise awareness of STDs? Isn’t the burning feeling when you pee enough of a clue?
* The program is working so well, they’re going to implement it at the Sydney Opera House during “La Boheme” this fall.