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June 24, 2004
The Fairfax County Health Department will offer free HIV
counseling and testing on a walk-in basis June 28 in Fairfax as
part of National HIV Testing Day. Traditional blood testing, as
well as oral testing by KI Services, will be offered. (Location and
time listed below.)
For either test, patients must return for their results on July
19. Information on all patients will be kept confidential, and
results will not be given by phone. If results are positive,
patients will receive additional counseling and will be referred to
health care providers. Those with negative results will receive
education on behaviors that can put an individual, and the
community at large, at higher risk.
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. The goal of Monday's event is
to encourage county residents to get tested for HIV and learn their
HIV status. Education received from counseling can help people
reduce their personal risk for becoming infected with the virus and
help prevent the spread to others.
"HIV continues to be a problem in this area," said
Virginia Gubser, R.N., HIV nurse coordinator for the Fairfax County
Health Department. "The rate of infection has been increasing
each year." According to Virginia Department of Health's most
recent data, the Northern Virginia region had an HIV rate of 18 per
100,000 in 2002, up from 16.8 in 2001 and 13.2 in 2000.
Of those living with HIV/AIDS in Virginia, 62 percent are
African-Americans, 28 percent are Caucasian, 4.9 percent are
Hispanic and the remaining 5.1 percent are other races. In 2003,
preliminary reports indicate that there may be more than 22,500
Virginians who are living with HIV, the largest percentage of whom
are between the ages of 30 and 39. The U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that between 850,000 and
900,000 Americans are living with HIV, of whom 180,000-280,000 are
unaware of their positive HIV status.
The Health Department offers free HIV testing at any one of its
five clinics, but times vary. For clinic locations and contact
information, refer to the clinic site information on the Fairfax County Health Department Web
site or call 703-246-2411, TTY 703-591-6435.
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