Media Advisory

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

WHAT

Contra Costa Health Services' HIV/AIDS & STD Program offers free HIV testing across the county on October 15 for National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. Testing is confidential and results are available in 20 minutes.

WHO

All county residents are urged to take a test, particularly Latino men.

WHEN:

Wednesday, October 15

WHERE:

• El Cerrito: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wall Street, near the Home Depot parking lot and McDonald's restaurant.
• Concord: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. in front of 2699 Monument Blvd., outside Monument Impact (formerly the Chavez Center for Economic Opportunity).
• Pittsburg: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 2100 Railroad Ave., in the Mi Pueblo parking lot.

WHY:

Testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is more important than ever because an estimated 1 in 5 people with HIV in the United States are unaware of their status, and nearly half of all Latinos have never been tested according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day was established in response to the impact of HIV and AIDS on Latino communities. According to data from the State Office of AIDS, in Contra Costa, from January 2012 to December 2013, Latinos comprised 24 percent of all newly identified cases of HIV infection, with the majority of those being Latino men.

HIV infection can progress to an AIDS diagnosis if HIV-infected individuals are not treated with medication to reduce their viral loads and build their immune systems.

Getting an HIV test has never been easier. HIV testing is covered by most health insurance plans, including Kaiser Permanente, Medi-Cal and plans offered through the Affordable Care Act. Ask your healthcare provider for more information.

For information about social services available to people with HIV or AIDS in Contra Costa County, call 800-287-0200.

For more information about National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, visit nlaad.org.

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