National HIV Testing Day campaign offers information, resources

Health officials encourage people to get tested for HIV Wednesday as part of National HIV Testing Day, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The campaign “Doing It My Way” was designed to encourage people to learn their status on an individual and personal basis, according to the CDC.

Approximately 1.1 million people in the U.S. have HIV, but one in seven people don’t know it, the CDC said.

The CDC said it recommends people ages 13 to 64 getting tested at least once as part of a routine health care. Those with a high risk should get tested at least once per year.

Some sexually active gay and bisexual men were also advised on recommended testing every three to six months, according to the CDC.

Click here to find a testing site. Those interested can also text their zipcode to “KNOWIT” (566948) or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

Home testing kits are also available at drugstores or online, according to the CDC.

The CDC provided the following tips to prevent the spreading or trasmitting of HIV:

• Use condoms the right way every time you have sex. Learn the right way to use a male condom or a female condom. Check out the condom locator to find condoms near you.
• If you are HIV-negative but at high risk for HIV, take daily medicine to prevent HIV, called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Use the PrEP locator to find a PrEP provider in your area.
• Talk to your doctor about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if you think you have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours and are not on PrEP.
• Choose less risky sexual behaviors.
• Limit your number of sexual partners.
• Get tested and treated for other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Never share syringes or other equipment to inject drugs (works).
• Remember, abstinence (not having sex) and not sharing syringes or works are the only 100 percent effective ways to prevent HIV.
• You can learn more about how to protect yourself and your partners and get information tailored to meet your needs from CDC’s HIV Risk Reduction Tool (BETA).

Use #DoingItMyWay to join the conversation on social media.