News Release Header
For Immediate Release:
June 26, 2020

Media Contact:
Griselle Marino
[email protected]
305-375-1585



The Office of Community Advocacy supports National HIV Testing Day


MIAMI – In observance of National HIV Testing Day, Saturday, June 27, the Office of Community Advocacy encourages all residents of Miami-Dade County to get tested. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our office will not be participating in events, but we invite you to request a free at-home HIV testing kit available for Miami-Dade County residents at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B7FLZ65.

The test you will receive in the mail is an OraQuick Oral Antibody test; it is performed by placing a swab on the lining of your mouth. Results take 20 minutes to process. Valued at $45 and now being offered at no cost, it is the same test healthcare professionals have used for years.

The Florida Department of Health is our partner in the Miami-Dade County Getting 2 Zero awareness campaign which aims to get zero new HIV/AIDS cases, zero AIDS related deaths, zero stigma, and zero discrimination. In 2018, our campaign launched branded condoms, which are available free of charge at https://www.testmiami.org/.

Approximately 1 in 7 people with HIV in the United States do not know they have the virus. In 2018, of the 161,800 people who did not know they had HIV, 42% were black/African American, 28% were Hispanic/Latino, and 24% were white. HIV testing needs to be more accessible and routinely performed so that everyone with HIV can get a diagnosis as early as possible after infection and start treatment right away.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested at least once as part of routine health care. Some people are more at risk for HIV than others and should be tested at least annually. Sexually active gay and bisexual men and transgender persons may benefit from even more frequent testing (e.g., every 3 to 6 months). Comprehensive information about who needs HIV testing and how often they need it is available in CDC’s HIV testing guidelines.

For more information visit the testmiami website or contact Griselle Marino at 305-375-1585 from the Office of Community Advocacy. If you have questions regarding the test kit, please contact the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County at 786-792-5269.

The Office of Community Advocacy is charged with making Miami-Dade County "One Community" that embraces our diverse and unique population. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow @AdvocacyMDC on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.


 

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