Polk County Health Department offers free HIV testing on Wednesday

POLK COUNTY, Fla. - Polk County encourages residents to "Take the Test. Take Control," offering a free HIV test to anyone who needs one on Wednesday. It's all part of a free health fair in Polk County in recognition of National HIV/AIDS Counseling and Testing Day.

The Polk County Health Department and Walgreen's have partnered to offer a free health fair on June 27 at the Walgreen's located at 311 E. Memorial Blvd in Lakeland from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm.

The Polk County Health Department (PCHD) encourages everyone to know their status, and stresses the importance of HIV testing to prevent transmission of this disease. Routine testing is encouraged for all sexually active individuals ages 13 to 64.

HIV is transmitted through unprotected sex, the sharing of needles, and being born to or breastfeed by an infected mother.  Other methods of transmission include:  blood transfusions, being stuck with a contaminated needle, tattooing, and body piercing.
 
Each year, approximately 48,100 new HIV infections occur in the U.S. There are about 135,000 people in Florida who are living with HIV. One in five individuals who are infected have not been tested, and do not know their status.

Additional information is available online at  www.aids.gov/awareness-days
Florida Department of Health website at www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/aids/
The Centers for Disease Control website at  www.cdc.gov/hiv/