NEWS RELEASE  I  June 22, 2021

Media Contact:
Kristina Wieghmink, public information officer
kwieghmink@miottawa.org I mobile/text 616-510-8523

No-Cost HIV Testing this Friday

Walk-in 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

12251 James St, Holland, Building C 

No appointment needed - Confidential testing

In recognition of National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), the Ottawa County Department of Public Health (OCDPH) will be offering no-cost and confidential HIV testing this Friday in Holland. This year, the NHTD theme is “My Test, My Way,” emphasizing there are different ways and places to get tested. HIV testing is easy, fast, confidential and safe.

"Many people with HIV are unaware they have it," said Deborah Price, sexual health clinic supervisor. “The only way to know your HIV status is to get tested. Knowing your status gives you powerful information to keep you and your partner healthy.”

The HIV testing is conducted by a blood draw, and results take 5-7 days. OCDPH public health nurses will be available to discuss HIV treatment options and understanding prevention options, including PrEP. The Ready, Set, PrEP Program provides free PrEP HIV-prevention medications to thousands of people living in the United States including tribal lands and territories who qualify. It expands access to PrEP medications to help reduce the number of new HIV transmissions and bring us one step closer to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States.

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HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It weakens a person’s immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. There is currently no effective cure for HIV. But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. Some groups of people in the United States are more likely to get HIV than others because of many factors, including their sex partners and risk behaviors. 

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