Monday is National HIV Testing Day

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Monday, June 27 is National HIV Testing Day and Medical Advocacy and Outreach in Montgomery is holding a special event where you can get tested, get informed and get active.

National Testing Day may have even more importance this year as COVID-19 continues to impact our communities and healthcare systems. Many events happening around the country are including COVID-19 testing, as well as HIV testing.

Historically, National HIV Testing Day is a day to encourage people to get an HIV test. The CDC actually recommends everyone between the ages of 13-64 to get tested as pat of your routine health care.

It estimates about 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, and about 13% of them don’t know it. Testing is the first step in maintaining a healthy life and reducing the spread of the virus.

2022′s theme for National HIV Testing Day is “HIV Testing is Self-care.” The topic of self-care has been particularly prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic as the need for individual and community actions to protect and promote physical and mental health have been so critical. So this theme emphasizes that knowledge of your status is the gateway to getting treatment and slowing the spread.

MAO’s “Summer Health Block Party” runs 3pm-6pm at the Beacon Center, 3091 Gaston Avenue.

National HIV Testing Day was created in 1995 by the National Association of People with AIDS.

Copyright 2022 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.