HIV positive Helper

[MovingIn07]

Sadly it's part of the "government by fear" that is so prevalent these days. The powers that be will sacrifice accuracy and rational thought because they've realised that getting people panicking is a very effective control mechanism (see also the "war on terror").

I wonder how this thread would have turned out if it had been about, say, hepatitis (which I believe a large proportion of helpers (and a not insignificant proportion of the local population) are carriers of) rather than HIV?

The book I mentioned above, "Thinking Fast and Slow" has a chapter on this and yes, whether by design or default, public policy does legislate for perceived risks rather than actual risks. And wastes a huge amount of public money in the process. Unfortunately as the author (Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel prize winner) highlights, we are genetically wired to worry about risks that are "available" (that is, in the conscious thought as they are when the media hypes something up) rather than those that are actually statistically more likely.

[YCC]

An orthodox scientific answer would be : According to research, HIV cannot be transmitted in a household setting under normal circumstances. However; there were 2 cases reported by the CDC two people have been infected with HIV in a household setting. One is a child whose parents are both HIV positive. The other is the mother and carer of her HIV positive son. Would I take the risk if I am in your situation? No. Even if you don't mind his/her HIV positive status, you should ask him /her learn more about using universal precautions to prevent spreading the virus to your child. And your family should also learn about such practices as well.

[hullexile]

The book I mentioned above, "Thinking Fast and Slow" has a chapter on this and yes, whether by design or default, public policy does legislate for perceived risks rather than actual risks. And wastes a huge amount of public money in the process. Unfortunately as the author (Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel prize winner) highlights, we are genetically wired to worry about risks that are "available" (that is, in the conscious thought as they are when the media hypes something up) rather than those that are actually statistically more likely.

None of us are rational whether we like to think we are or not. Sounds like a good book, think I will have to get a copy.