We finish the special that we made together with Sentiido y Dejusticia about LGBT people and Covid-19 with frequently asked health questions. Read the first one here (mental health and emotional well-being) and the second (legal consultations) installment of this special.

Health can become a special concern for LGBT people during the pandemic, and not only because of fear of coronavirus infection. That is why Sentiido, Colombia Diversa and Dejusticia decided to answer the most recurring questions we receive on our social networks about health and LGBT people during quarantine.

For this, we consulted two medical experts who work every day for the health of this population and who are currently overcoming the obstacles that Covid has created for the health system.

What is going to happen to the surgeries that transgender people have pending?

In such an emergency situation, elective medical procedures (including surgeries for transgender people) are often postponed in order to give priority to the health emergency. This is explained by Mario Angulo, a paediatric endocrinologist at the Gender Clinic of the Valle del Lili Foundation (Cali), who estimates that these surgeries could be resumed in the coming months.

Although it is difficult to predict anything in these circumstances, Angulo gives a clue as to when this might happen: "...the most important thing is to be able to predict what will happen.If things continue as they are, it is very likely that in July the Valle del Lili Clinic will reactivate the the procedures we have suspended".

However, for some trans people, these pending procedures may not wait: "There may be a patient whose sense of dysphoria with his or her body is so severe that he or she is close to suicide or has repetitive self mutilations. Such a case may require and request an urgent procedure"Angulo explains.

Is it safe to continue hormone treatment with this pandemic?

Experts agree that it is not only safe but also very necessary to continue hormone treatments. Angulo adds that it is particularly important at this point in time because "... it is not only safe but also very necessary to continue hormone treatments.sex steroids are necessary not only for physical appearance, but also for the health of the immune system.".

Carolina Londoño, medical sexologist and founder of the Transeres support groupadvises transgender people to go to their EPS to continue their check-ups via telemedicine. She stresses that under no circumstances should they self-medicate their hormone treatments, as this leads them to end up using very high and harmful doses.Testosterone in trans boys ends up working like a steroid, which lowers defences and increases the risk of infection.".

What safe sex practices do you recommend for same-sex couples?

Londoño clarifies that safe sex practices are the same for everyone and, in that sense, he recommends continuing with the usual safe sex methods, such as condoms or latex squares.

In terms of preventing the spread of coronavirus during sexual intercourse, although the Ministry of Health issued recommendations in this regardThe risk of Covid-19 infection will always be high, she says: "The risk of Covid-19 infection will always be high.To say that there is a barrier method to prevent Covid is impossible; even if there is no kissing, we will perspire, moan and moan.".