National HIV Testing Day is June 27, 2022, and you can take advantage of free testing in Henderson, Kentucky thanks to Matthew 25.

What Is HIV?

The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a virus that attacks the cells in the human body that fight off infection, essentially reducing the immune system of the infected person, making them more susceptible to other diseases and infections. The virus is spread through contact with certain bodily fluids, most frequently through unprotected sex or through sharing intervenous drug paraphernalia.

The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Co-hosts National HIV testing Day With The CDC's Act Against AIDS at The Abbey in West Hollywood
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How Is HIV Transmitted?

There are a lot of myths surrounding HIV and AIDS, in particular about how the virus is transmitted from person to person. You cannot contract HIV through a handshake, hugging, or sharing a toilet.

You can only get HIV by coming into direct contact with certain body fluids from a person with HIV who has a detectable viral load. These fluids are:

Blood
Semen (cum) and pre-seminal fluid
Rectal fluids
Vaginal fluids
Breast milk

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HIV Does Not Discriminate

In communities across the country where HIV is more prevalent, the risk of exposure is greater. The risk is also significantly greater within the LGBTQIA+ community. According to the CDC, 68% of the newly reported cases in 2020 were gay and bisexual men. However, they are not the only population impacted by HIV and while there are some groups more heavily impacted by the disease, HIV does not discriminate based on ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or geographical location.

Center For Disease Control Launches Program For AIDS Testing At Drugstores
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Preventing HIV

While there is no cure for HIV, there are preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the virus.

Fortunately, there are more HIV prevention tools available today than ever before. These include using condoms correctly, every time you have sex; pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), medicine people at risk for HIV take to prevent getting HIV from sex or injection drug use; and treatment as prevention, a method in which people with HIV take HIV medicine as prescribed to achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load, a level of HIV in the blood so low that it can’t be detected in a standard blood test.

 

Treatment Options

Unfortunately, at this time, there is no known cure for HIV. However, there is treatment available that, when taken properly, can lower the viral load within the human body. Through the use of antiretroviral therapy or ART, a person infected with HIV can live a long, healthy life and, according to HIV.gov, won't transmit HIV to their HIV-negative sexual partner.

People with HIV who take HIV medicine as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load can live long and healthy lives and will not transmit HIV to their HIV-negative partners through sex.

Center For Disease Control Launches Program For AIDS Testing At Drugstores
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Why Get Tested?

There is no cure for HIV and left untreated, it can develop into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, also known as AIDS. Getting tested is imperative to stop the spread of this disease. Of the approximately 1.2 million people in the United States that have HIV, nearly 13% of them do not know that they are carrying the disease.

Walgreen's Quarterly Earnings Beat Estimates
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Where To Get Tested - For Free

June 27th is National HIV Testing Day in the United States. And Matthew 25 has partnered with Walgreens to offer free HIV testing at the following locations in Henderson, Owensboro, and Bowling Green, Kentucky from 10 am and 7 pm on June 27, 2022. Everyone who completes an HIV test during the free event will receive a $25 gift card.

  • 402 2nd Street in Henderson, KY
  • 2318 Frederica Street, Owensboro, KY
  • 1145 US 31W Bypass, Bowling Green, KY

Who Is Matthew 25?

Matthew 25 is one of only two clinics in Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky, aside from Paducah, Kentucky, that offers comprehensive HIV and AIDS clinics.

Matthew 25 operates medical clinic locations in both Indiana and Kentucky, providing early intervention specialty HIV/AIDS medical care, medication adherence programs, food pantry, transportation, indigent medication program, referral services, counseling and testing services, education and information in Vanderburgh County, IN, Henderson County, KY and Daviess County, KY. In Kentucky counties only, we additionally provide support services such as support groups, several housing programs and care coordination services provided by three medical case managers covering 25 counties. We have become a leader in the Tri-State in HIV counseling and testing, partner counseling, and resource linking and treatment. Dedicated to holistic care, we treat the whole person, not just the disease.

 

Final Thoughts

Getting tested is easy, and in this case, free. If you are or have been sexually active it is a good idea to get tested.

[Source: HIV.gov]

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