National HIV Testing Day on June 27 is an annual event to emphasize and encourage HIV testing. Despite increased general HIV testing rates, persons who have HIV infection for years before being diagnosed may unknowingly transmit infection. Now more than ever, prevention and treatment tools are available to reduce transmission and acquisition of HIV.
This year’s theme is “HIV Testing is Self-Care”. Knowledge of one’s status is the first step to accessing prevention and treatment services that enable individuals, regardless of their status, to live long and healthy lives. HIV testing is easy, fast, confidential and safe. Right now, many local health departments and community-based organizations, as well as CDC, are distributing free HIV self-testing kits. Learn more about self-tests at https://bit.ly/2AhexD6.
You can always ask your health care provider to test you, or learn where to get tested at gettested.cdc.gov, texting your zip code to KNOW-IT (566948) or calling 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636). Learn more about how to prevent HIV infection at https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prevention.html.
Heavenly Father, we ask you to send your Spirit to HIV positive persons unaware of their infection. Help them take an HIV test and, if necessary, begin treatment promptly.