St. Louis will offer STD protection in Mardi Gras party favors

Mardi Gras festivities are often considered to be synonymous with high alcohol consumption and sexual activity between strangers, both of which cause concern about the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

However, this year, some St. Louis bars and Mardi Gras celebration spots will be handing out bead necklaces with condoms attached in an effort to remind party-goers to practice safe sex.

The number of people who utilize STD testing centers escalates following Mardi Gras, Boomer Gutknecht, a counselor at one testing facility in the area, told KTVI News.

According to the Fox News affiliate, the condom wrappers will read, "Catch these, not STDs," and will include telephone numbers for local testing sites.

Individuals who would like to be screened for infections may also consider using online testing services.

In 2004, the St. Louis Department of Health reported that the city had the nation's highest rate of gonorrhea reports and the second highest amount of chlamydia cases among U.S. cities with populations that exceed 200,000 people.

The organization added that individuals between the ages of 15 and 19 accounted for the greater proportion of the reports for both of these conditions.