ABSTRACT
Background Our aim principally was to assess our readiness to remain open as we provide an essential public health service namely the treatment of infectious diseases. Facing this pandemic with limited preparation time, the journey of our sexual health clinic had to evolve multiple times in order in to provide optimal care for our patient population. Method A retrospective study was conducted of all consultations during March - June 2020, which was Ireland's first lockdown period and was compared to the same period in 2019. Results 251 symptomatic people attended the clinic in 2019 compared to 129 attendees in 2020. We assume;this was due to our national lockdown due to a global pandemic. Of note, a doubling of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) rates was noted from 4% in 2019 to 8% in 2020. Non- sexually transmitted infections increased from 11% in 2019 to 53% in 2020, These included genital dermatoses, non-specific urethritis, and testicular pathologies such as epididymitis. Conclusion Our sexual health clinic adapted overnight to the challenges of Covid-19 with virtual consults being one of many new techniques that were employed. The high number of symptomatic patients certainly surprised us but also helped us in understanding human nature and their craving for social interaction..