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Free Condoms App Upgraded in NYC

New York City’s Health Department gave a very special gift to the public before Valentine’s Day.

New York City’s Health Department gave a very special gift to the public before Valentine’s Day.

Health officials announced the NYC Condom Finder app is now available on all major smartphone platforms, including BlackBerry, Windows, Android and Apple iOS. A new website designed specifically for mobile devices also was unveiled.

The app plots on a map the five New York City locations nearest to the user that distribute free condoms. There are nearly 1,000 distribution points across the five boroughs included in the app, including participating hospitals, health clinics, bars and barbershops. The app also includes sexual health information and history about the city’s free condoms program, which began in 1971. The app has been downloaded 25,000 times since it debuted one year ago on Android and iOS.

The city’s health department distributed more than 36 million male condoms and 1 million female condoms last year, officials said.

In 2007, New York City became the first municipality to launch its own branded condom, called NYC Condom, a Lifestyles brand prophylactic. The program also has a Facebook page.

“New Yorkers are mobile, so we need to reach them both with sexual health information and easy access to service information wherever they are,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner, in a statement about Monday’s announcement.

The American Social Health Association and many other organizations recognize February as National Condom Month and Feb. 14 as National Condom Day.

 

Miriam Jones is a former chief copy editor of Government Technology, Governing, Public CIO and Emergency Management magazines.