If you insist on a single number: probably between 1,500 and 2,000 people are living with AIDS right now, plus a few hundred new cases each year. But the honest answer is: too many. Too many people find out only when it’s too late, and that’s a collective failure we can fix.
Next time someone at a barbecue asks you this, please don’t say “it’s over.” Say: “it’s complicated, but we’re getting there—if we can get people to talk about it.” Then hand them a burger and a condom. (I’m semi-serious. Okay, fully serious.)
P.S. — If you haven’t tested for HIV in the last year, just do it. It’s free, easy, and the result might save you from becoming one of those late-diagnosis stats. Dave, this means you.
