Stories of HIV activists during COVID-19 in the UK

Stories of HIV Activists during COVID-19 in the UK examines and interprets the experiences of HIV activists during the COVID-19 pandemic. It relies on qualitative data obtained through a UK-ICN BBSRC funded grant. We draw from these stories to start a conversation about how activism translates from one health crisis (HIV/AIDS) to another (COVID-19). These activist stories tell us about how activist individuals and organisations responded to COVID-19, but they also provide insight for future pandemic contexts. The UK and many other countries across the world face a variety of new pandemic threats, including monkeypox and Ebola, which demand new forms of health intervention and strategies to mobilise individuals and communities. We use these stories to illuminate the resilience of some activists in the face of crisis and to articulate ways in which health activism can be adapted and remobilised to respond to new health crises.