Northeast Health District Offers Free HIV Testing for World AIDS Day

From the Northeast Health District:

The Northeast Health District’s Specialty Care Clinic (Ryan White HIV clinic) is partnering with AIDS Athens and the Athens Neighborhood Health Center to offer free HIV testing in recognition of World AIDS Day from December 2 through December 5, 2013. The testing will be anonymous and pain-free!

Free HIV testing will be available for four days during the week of World AIDS Day:

● Monday, December 2, 2013 from 9:00am to 4:30pm at AIDS Athens (112 Park Ave., Athens, GA 30601)
● Tuesday, December 3, 2013 from 10:00am to 4:30pm at the Clarke County Health Department (345 N. Harris St., Athens, GA 30601)
● Wednesday, December 4, 2013 from 9:00am to 4:30pm at the Athens Neighborhood Health Center (402 McKinley Dr., Athens, GA 30601)
● Thursday, December 5, 2013 from 9:00am to 5:00pm at the AIDS Athens’ Monroe Office (424 Spring St., Monroe, GA 30655)

This year, an estimated 56,300 people will be infected with HIV in the United States. One in five of the more than 1.1 million people living with HIV is unaware of his or her infection. In recognition of World AIDS Day, the Northeast Health District encourages all citizens to get tested for HIV. The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. You could have HIV and still feel healthy.

It’s especially important to get tested regularly if you are at high risk of infection. Get tested at least once per year for HIV if you:

● Have unprotected sex (sex without a condom) with someone who might have HIV or with an HIV-positive partner
● Are bisexual or homosexual
● Use drugs with needles
● Have had a sexually transmitted disease (STD)

For more information about the Specialty Care Clinic, please visit www.PublicHealthAthens.com or call 706-425-2935. The Specialty Care Clinic is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:00am to 5 pm, Tuesday
8 am to 7 pm, and Friday 8:00am to 2:00pm. The Specialty Care Clinic payments are based on a sliding fee scale, so the costs are generally free or low-cost-anyone that is HIV positive and lives in the 10-county Northeast Health District is eligible to receive services at the Specialty Care Clinic.

The Northeast Health District serves Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton counties.