June 27 is the annual National HIV Testing Day.
Houston ranks high for HIV ratio, with 36 cases per 100,000 people. The CDC labels Harris County as an area of priority in testing for HIV.
Since the start of the pandemic, testing has diminished and cases have risen. That means people have been unknowingly spreading the virus, and the CDC believes people are living with undiagnosed HIV.
Getting people either on preventive therapies or treatment for HIV once they know their status not only improves their own outcomes, it also helps prevent the spread of infection. That’s one reason the CVS Health Equity Action initiative is working to increase access to HIV testing, especially in historically underserved populations.
KPRC 2 spoke with Drexel A. Shaw, MPH, National HIV Liaison, CVS Health about how the CVS Minute Clinics offers HIV testing in a comfortable, private setting. For more information about CVS Health Equity Action initiative, watch the video at the top of the page.
Legacy Community Health also offers free HIV testing and the Wellness Bar by Legacy is exclusively dedicated to HIV and STIs. You may even qualify for an at-home test. Click here for details.
Avenue 360 also offers year-round free HIV testing at its eight locations. Click here for details.
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