Testing positive for an STI like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis is a standard part of an active sex life. In New York, the treatment pathway is straightforward, well-funded, and designed to minimize shame and expense.
💊 The Treatment Pathway
If you test positive for a bacterial STI, you need prompt treatment (antibiotics). How you get this depends on where you were tested.
If you tested at a DOHMH Sexual Health Clinic
This is the easiest route. The DOHMH clinic will contact you about your positive result. You will return to the clinic to receive your treatment—typically an injection for gonorrhea or syphilis, and oral pills for chlamydia.
- Cost: Treatment is provided on-site for free or on a sliding scale. You will not face surprise lab bills.
If you tested via Telehealth (e.g., Mistr) or Urgent Care
The telehealth provider or urgent care center will send an electronic prescription to your local pharmacy (like CVS or Walgreens).
- Cost: If you have NYS Medicaid or the Essential Plan, the medication is covered. If you are uninsured, use a discount card (like GoodRx).
- The Injection Problem: Telehealth platforms cannot administer injections. If you have syphilis or gonorrhea (which typically require an intramuscular injection), they will direct you to seek care at a local clinic or urgent care. If you are uninsured, go to a DOHMH clinic for the injection to avoid high out-of-pocket costs.
✉️ Partner Notification
If you test positive, you must notify recent sexual partners so they can seek testing and preventative treatment. This breaks the chain of transmission.
If you are uncomfortable or unable to contact them directly, you can use TellYourPartner (tellyourpartner.org).
- It is a free, secure service that sends an anonymous text message to a phone number you provide, advising them that they may have been exposed to an STI and should get tested.
- It cannot be traced back to you.
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