National HIV Test Day is Wednesday - and Donald Slakie, Health Educator for HIV in the District 2 Public Health Office in Gainesville, says early detection is important.
"If you are HIV positive, you may not have any symptoms for some time," Slakie said, "making early detection important."
Slakie adds about one-fourth of people in the U.S. who are infected - 250,000 of them - are not aware that they are. Slakie says the tests are free unless blood tests, which are $25, are required and will be administered at the county health departments in Hall and the twelve other northeast Georgia counties the district office serves. Tests will also be given at North Georgia AIDS Alliance on Oak Street in Gainesville.
He says you should call for an appointment "but I don't think any walk-ins would be turned away."
Proponents of testing say taking an HIV test has never been easier than it is today. Oral tests make it easy and painless, with results available in 20 minutes. And recently, the federal government recommended that every American male and female aged 13 to 64 be tested for HIV as part of routine medical care.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/6/87755