THE HSE HAS launched a new social media campaign promoting safe sex to coincide with Electric Picnic, with the tag line #respectprotect.

It replaces the long-running Johnny’s Got You Covered slogan and adverts, as the HSE’s Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme’s campaign aims to carry on the focus on the importance of using condoms to protect against STIs and as a form of contraception.

The HSE said the new campaign will provide it “greater flexibility” in sending these messages to young people.

At the festival in Stradbally this weekend, an outreach team will disseminate condoms and lubricant sachets to Electric Picnic attendees. The campaign will also see icons, tattoo stamps and photo frames used to engage young people on social media channels.

It’s all part of actively encouraging sexually active young people to think ahead, access correct information and practice safer sex.

Helen Deely, the HSE’s programme lead in this area, said: “Moving to the new campaign will provide the HSE with greater flexibility in conveying more targeted and credible safer sex messages to our younger audience. 

Our move from Johnny’s Got You Covered to #respectprotect is in response to both policy and significant social change in Ireland over recent years. Developed in partnership with young people and our sexual health community partners, the colourful heart logo, which endorses the campaign, is understood to be a symbol for care and inclusivity, respecting all sexual orientations.

According to provisional figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, there were 5,200 cases of young people diagnosed with either chlamydia (3,730), gonorrhoea (872) or genital herpes (598).

This was an increase of 11.2% in the STI rate among 15-24 year-olds compared to 2016 figures.

The HSE provides more information about STIs, consent, relationships, contraception and crisis pregnancy here.