National HIV Testing Day is Thursday, June 27, and the Dade County Health Department will be offering free HIV testing from 8 am to 4 p.m.that day at its office in the county Administrative Building (71 Case Ave., Ste., H-100, Trenton).
“On this annual observance, we encourage people to get tested for HIV, know their status, and get into treatment right away if they have HIV,” said Tammy Frankling, health department nurse manager.
Franklin encourages people to get tested for HIV in a way that is comfortable for them. “You can test at the health department, at another testing site, or even at home. You can test alone or go with a partner, friend or family member. However you choose to do it, get tested, and know your current HIV status,” Franklin says.
About 1.1 million people in the United States have HIV, and 1 in 7 of them don’t know they have it. People with HIV need to get a diagnosis as soon as possible so they can get treatment. Taking HIV medicine as prescribed can keep them healthy and protect their partners. Nearly 40 percent of new HIV transmissions in 2016 came from people who didn’t know they had HIV.
CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care and that those at high risk get tested at least once a year. Some sexually-active gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (every 3 to 6 months).
For more information about free HIV testing at the Dade County Health Department on June 27, call (706) 657-4213. For more information on HIV testing, visit https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html.
About the Dade County Health Department: The Dade County Health Department works to prevent disease, injury, and disability; promote health, safety, and wellbeing; and prepare for and respond to disasters, thereby improving the quality of life for individuals and families in Dade County. We provide a wide range of medical services, track and prevent the spread of disease, promote health and safety through education and communication, monitor area environmental safety, including restaurant and other food-service inspections, and ensure our community is prepared for public health emergencies.
Find us on the web at www.nwgapublichealth.org/counties/dade. Follow us on Facebook to receive news, emergency messages, and health-and-safety information at https://www.facebook.com/DadeDPH
