Genesee County, MI — In recognition of National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), the Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) is hosting a special event providing HIV testing, food, and raffles on Thursday, June 27, 2024 at the Burton Health Center (G-3373 S. Saginaw St.).

Most people living with HIV can expect to live as long as people who do not have HIV, but the first step is to know your status. First observed on June 27, 1995, NHTD encourages people to be tested and if positive, link to care and treatment. 

The 2024 NHTD theme is “Level up your self-love: check your status”. This theme emphasizes how important knowing your HIV status is and shows the steps you can take once you know your HIV status. People who test negative for HIV can take advantage of HIV prevention methods such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms, and testing for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). People who test positive for HIV can promptly start HIV treatment (antiretroviral, or ART) and go on to live long, healthy lives.

As many as one in seven people living with HIV are unaware they have it. Undiagnosed infections spread HIV and delays linking patients to care. GCHD encourages everyone between the ages of 13-64 to include HIV testing in their health care routine by being tested at GCHD, another HIV testing organization, your primary care physician, or with an at-home test. Getting tested gives you the knowledge you need to protect yourself and your partners. 

If you learn you are HIV-positive and begin treatment as prescribed, you can obtain an undetectable viral load in six months or less. An undetectable viral load means there is no detectable copies of the HIV virus in the body. Persons with an undetectable viral load can effectively have no risk of transmitting the virus via sex to a partner who does not have HIV.

The GCHD Sexual Health Clinic offers a rapid HIV test with results in twenty minutes. Each person who is HIV tested and participates at our NHTD event on June 27, will have the opportunity to enter multiple raffles with great prizes from local businesses. Free food, condoms, education, and games will be available to everyone. Testing for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) will also be available. 

In addition to free HIV testing, GCHD offers free condoms through our “Wear One” campaign to decrease HIV and other STI rates by removing barriers to condom access, such as cost, privacy, and lack of access. Since its launch in December 2017, GCHD has distributed more than 300,000 condoms to the public. We thank participating businesses and organizations throughout Genesee County who have assisted in dispersing the Wear One packages to their patrons. If you have questions regarding HIV testing or to schedule an appointment, please contact our Sexual Health Clinic at (810) 237-4538.

For more information on HIV testing, prevention, treatment, and stigma, visit https://www.cdc.gov/stophivtogether.

To learn more about GCHD’s Sexual Health and Family Planning services, visit https://www.geneseecountymi.gov/departments/health_department/shfp/sti.php 

To learn more GCHD’s Wear One Campaign, visit https://www.geneseecountymi.gov/departments/health_department/shfp/wearone.php