06/20/2023
"HIV in Georgia" podcast and local free testing events for National HIV Testing Day
Community invited to join live podcast discussion June 26 on HIV testing and access to treatment in Georgia. Georgia ranks in top five states for people living with HIVTito Terry, HIV program coordinator for District 4 Public Health, will co-host “What’s @ Stake?” an online live community podcast on HIV in Georgia, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, June 26. Everyone is invited to join the live podcast and town-hall discussion at bit.ly/facebook_HIVpodcast or bit.ly/streamyard_HIVpodcast. The podcast is part of a quarterly series presented by the Georgia Prevention & Care Council (G-PACC). Terry will co-host with Vivian Momah of the Georgia Department of Public Health and Reggie Smith of the Reginald & Dionne Smith Foundation. Momah serves as G-PACC’s coordinator, and Terry and Smith are its co-chairs.Michelle Allen of Positive Impact Health Centers will join the three as a featured speaker. Allen formerly served as Georgia Department of Public Health’s infectious disease section director and also is past chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Coalition of STD Directors.Terry and fellow guest moderators will discuss the importance of getting tested for HIV if you’re s*xually active, knowing your status, and getting linked to treatment, care and services.In Georgia, one in every five individuals with HIV doesn’t know he or she is positive, Terry said. On World AIDS Day in December 2022, Georgia was reported as the No. 1 state in the U.S. for new HIV infections, with Atlanta being a hot spot. Georgia ranks top five in the country for people living with HIV—over 60,000 in 2020—the last year for which there is reliable, comprehensive data.The podcast is being held the day before National HIV Testing Day on Tuesday, June 27, when District 4 Public Health will partner with Greater Than AIDS and Walgreens at 1855 Hudson Bridge Road in Stockbridge to provide free, confidential HIV rapid test results onsite from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with no appointment needed. Terry and other District 4 HIV staff members—along with Henry County Health Department and District 4’s Epidemiology team—will be on hand at the Walgreens event to answer questions about HIV prevention and treatment options.In District 4, the Carroll County Health Department also will provide free HIV rapid testing from 1 to 4 p.m. on National HIV Testing Day on Tuesday, June 27, with no appointment needed. The Upson County Health Department provides a free HIV rapid testing clinic from 1 to 4 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month with no appointment necessary.The CDC recommends everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care, and more often if you have certain risk factors. To determine your risk, visit hivrisk.cdc.gov“With the free, confidential rapid HIV testing that’s now available—along with so many effective medications and treatments—it’s best to find out your status as soon as you can,” Terry said. “Whether you’re positive or negative, we can help you take charge or your health by linking you with the care and support you need.”All health departments in District 4 provide free, confidential, rapid HIV testing with a small finger prick, with results ready in 60 seconds after being tested. Health departments in District 4 include those in Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup and Upson counties. HIV tests do not require a prior appointment but for all other needs, please call (800) 847-4262 for an appointment.If a test is positive, the health department can confirm it with a laboratory blood test. Because District 4 health departments are part of Georgia’s Test-Link-Care (TLC) Network, they can help individuals connect with a linkage coordinator to be sure they receive the medical care and support services they need to live a long and healthy life with HIV. The coordinator also can share information on how to prevent transmitting HIV to others.Individuals whose test results are negative can receive information on protecting themselves from HIV infection, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications, condoms, and other s*xual health services such as vaccines and testing for s*xually transmitted infections.PrEP is a medication that reduces the chance of getting HIV from s*x or injection drug use. When taken as prescribed, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from s*x by about 99 percent and reduces the risk of getting HIV from injecting drugs by 74 percent, according to the CDC. It is even more effective if combined with other preventive measures, Terry said. Terry and District 4’s HIV Prevention team work along with District 4’s county health departments to provide referrals so that eligible patients can receive free PrEP medication through the Gilead Advancing Access program. They also can provide referrals for PeP (post-exposure prophylaxis), which is medication given to prevent HIV after a possible exposure. It should only be used in emergency situations and must be started within 72 hours after a recent possible exposure to HIV, according to the CDC.Free HIV self-test kits also are available at capus.dph.ga.gov/ehe or can be picked up at the Troup or Henry county health departments. HIV self-testing can be done at home, with results available in about 20 minutes. Free condoms are available at District 4 county health departments. To receive free condoms by mail, visit bit.ly/D4_CondomsByMail. For more information on HIV prevention, testing, and care, contact Tito Terry or Ana Soler at District 4 Public Health at (706) 845-4035. For health department appointments, call (800) 847-4262. Please Share!
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