According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), June 27 is National HIV Testing Day, which promotes testing as an important strategy to detect, treat, and prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. HIV testing is the essential entry point to health care and social services that improve the quality of life and survival for persons who learn that they have HIV. Here are 4 ways you can get involved today!

1. Get Tested! Many organizations provide FREE and confidential rapid HIV testing by appointment Monday-Friday. The rapid test takes 20 minutes using only a small drop of blood from your finger or by using an oral swab. Test results are given immediately and all HIV tests are completely confidential! 
2. Offer prizes or and/or incentives to get people in the door to get tested! In Atlanta, Positive Impact will offer drawings for people who are tested on National HIV Testing Day for two giveaways, a $25 gift card and another prize worth $200, according to an organization spokesperson. Previous giveaways have included Amazon Kindle e-Readers and televisions.
3. Host an event encouraging people to get tested! Consider these questions and ideas as you decide to plan an event: How can you raise awareness in your community in a way that reaches those most at risk and affected by the epidemic? What type of event would interest your target audience? How can the unique voices in your community can add meaning to your plans?  Consider these potential National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) events:  Hold a public forum or town hall meeting to talk about the impact of HIV/AIDS in your community; Encourage your newspaper or schools to sponsor essay or other contests; Hold a news conference with elected officials to raise public awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS on your community; Ask other public officials and leaders to talk about the challenges in the response to the epidemic. For m ore information and ideas for NHTD check out www.Aids.gov.
4. Visit your local drugstore to get tested. A new program sponsored by the CDC will offer quick HIV tests at local drugstores.The $1.2 million program will offer free rapid HIV tests at pharmacies and in-store clinics in 24 cities and rural communities. The tests are already available at seven places, and the CDC will soon pick 17 more locations. One of the companies, Walgreens, will begin the first part of its two-year program in select pharmacies throughout Chicago and Washington, D.C. and one Take Care Clinic in Lithonia, Ga., according to a press release.

 

In addition to these activities and events, you can also simply encourage your peers, friends, and family to get tested!