County officials estimate just more than 1,400 San Diego County residents are living with HIV and don't know it. Those unaware they are infected are responsible for 40% of new transmissions in the U.S., according to the federal health agency.
Free HIV testing at UC San Diego
Monday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.: UCSD Black Resource Center
Provided by UCSD Anti Viral Research Center's Good To Go Program
Tuesday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.: UCSD LGBT Resource Center
Provided by Family Health Centers of San Diego
Wednesday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.: UCSD Library Walk
Provided by UCSD Anti Viral Research Center's Good To Go Program
Thursday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.: UCSD LGBT Resource Center
Provided by Family Health Centers of San Diego
Full list of UCSD World AIDS Day (Dec. 2-6) events
UC San Diego is making free HIV testing more accessible to residents through Thursday to mark World AIDS Day, which took place on Dec. 1. The limited-hour clinics at various campus locations are part of a week of programming to mark the global event, but there are additional locations around the county that offer free or reduced-price testing year-round.
HIV can develop into AIDS if left untreated. Antiretroviral therapy and prevention medications have significantly reduced death and transmission rates in the U.S., but about 38,000 people were diagnosed with HIV last year and communities of color are disproportionately affected.
The Health and Human Services Agency issued an advisory in March that healthcare providers should offer routine testing to all patients. That policy, which was endorsed by the San Diego County Medical Society in August, falls in line with the county's Getting to Zero initiative to eliminate new transmissions in San Diego.
Besides the UC San Diego free testing hours this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosts a map that identifies year-round locations where patients can receive free or reduced-price testing for a range of sexually transmitted conditions.
