media, that the focus is being removed from the AIDS crisis. Sometimes when media attention shifts away from a problem, especially a problem as frightening as AIDS, the public is only too happy to move its focus.

Unfortunately, AIDS is a problem which is growing and which seems likely to be with us at least until the next century. Until doctors and researchers find either a vaccine or a cure, and the possibility of a vaccine seems to be uncertain, AIDS will continue to be the terror disease of the late 20th Century.

Since there is no cure for this killer disease, the only hope is prevention.

That is why we wanted today to bring people's attention back to AIDS. For now, at least, the hope is to keep people conscious of the widening threat of AIDS so that they will make the effort to protect themselves. Far too often we hear the stories of people who deal in the unreality of "It can't happen to me'', rather than the reality of "I must be careful, I'm at risk''.

It seems to us that in a place as small as Bermuda it ought to be possible to keep up the pressure of publicity so that people do not relax their caution.

AIDS prevention is not much different from many other human situations, people start off well and then tend to ease their vigilance. The difference is that AIDS is a killer and people should be reminded of that fact constantly.

The problem in dealing with AIDS prevention is that there are so many misleading stories and ideas and so many misconceptions. There are people who still think AIDS is confined to gays and IV drug users and people who received infected blood transfusions. There seems to be a blind area when you attempt to convince people that anyone is at risk who is having unprotected sex, unless they are very certain of the faithfulness of the partner.

Bermuda does not need to look for examples outside its shores. The figures for women are high in Bermuda, compared to the United States. It may well be that Bermuda's figures are an indication of what the United States has yet to come.

Perhaps Bermuda's reporting system in a small place with one hospital is better than the US and the figures only reflect what has already happened in the United States. Whatever the situation, the drop in new infections among the gay population in the United States indicates that talking care can make a difference.

We think it ought to be possible to keep the problem before Bermudians to the extent that they are constantly aware of the dangers. That is really the very least we can do for the public in the face of a killer. We should of course do more and provide free clean needles and free condoms and a great deal of education in schools so that the young grow up aware.