Linn County Public Health (LCPH) is offering free HIV testing for anyone wishing to know their HIV status on Friday, December 1st from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm in recognition of World AIDS Day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should be screened for HIV at least once as part of routine health care.
World AIDS Day, recognized on December 1st, provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations worldwide to unite in an effort to raise awareness of AIDS caused by the spread of HIV infection, to show support for people living with HIV/AIDS, and to honor the memories of those we have lost to HIV/AIDS. Almost half of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who do not know they are infected.
HIV is passed from one person to another by:
- Having unprotected sex with a person who has HIV.
- Sharing needles with someone who has HIV.
- Breastfeeding, pregnancy, or childbirth if the mother has HIV.
- Getting a transfusion of blood that is infected with HIV (very rare in the United States).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates more than 1.2 million people in the US are living with HIV, and one in seven of those infected are unaware that they have the virus. Individuals at high risk for HIV infection should get screened every 3 to 6 months.
LCPH is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm at 501 13th Street NW, Cedar Rapids. LCPH provides testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV screening. All HIV and STI testing is confidential. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call LCPH at (319) 892-6093.