Myrtle Beach, SC–An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and that number grows by almost 50,000 every year. One in eight people who have HIV don’t know it. That means they aren’t getting the medical care they need to stay healthy and avoid passing HIV to others. Through testing it is estimated that 90 percent of new HIV infections could be prevented.
June 27 has been designated National HIV Testing Day and Careteam+ urges everyone to “Take the Test and Take Control”.
Free testing has been scheduled for Monday, June 27 from 10 am – 3 pm at the Genesis Complex at 1201 Creel Street in Conway. There is no cost, appointments are not required, and results are confidential.
“The only way to know if you are infected with HIV is to get tested,” said Johanna Haynes, Executive Director for Carerteam+.
“We recommend that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care, and that people with certain risk factors get tested more often. People with more than one sex partner, people with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and people who inject drugs are likely to be at high risk and should get tested at least once a year. Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from even more frequent testing, depending on their risk. To protect your own health, you should also get tested if you have been sexually assaulted. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, testing is recommended with each pregnancy, both for your own benefit and to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to your baby,” Haynes continued.
“Our free event, June 27, is not only part of a national movement to ensure against HIV, it is our way of protecting our community. Today’s advancements in medicine can keep those infected with HIV healthy for many years, and greatly reduce the chance of transmitting the disease to sexual partners,” she said.
Get the Facts on HIV
Protecting yourself and others against HIV starts with knowledge. Knowing the facts about HIV will help you make informed decisions about sex, drug use, and other activities that may put you and your partners at risk for HIV.
Learn the basics about HIV, how to prevent HIV transmission, and the steps you can take to protect yourself and others.
Talk about what you learn with your friends and other people who are important to you.
Empower even more people via social media. Share your new knowledge with your friends online.
See Basic Testing Q&As for more information.
Knowing your HIV status gives you the power to control your health and your future and getting tested has never been easier. Join Careteam+ on June 27 to “Take the Test and Take Control”.
