In March 2021, the county health department said it was looking for ways to expand HIV testing in Kanawha County during the COVID-19 pandemic. It pointed to recent CDC studies that suggested the pandemic might be reducing HIV testing across the country. The health officer said it was important not to forget about other health concerns, such as HIV.
The plan
- Add a third state disease intervention specialist for the county.
- Work with community partners to give wraparound services to people with HIV.
- Put together a mobile HIV testing unit.
- Work with the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority on point-of-care testing.
- Work with state and community agencies to make HIV treatment easier to get.
- Ask for federal help with training.
Why testing mattered
Kanawha County had an HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs. A later CDC report counted 85 people in the outbreak from January 2019 to October 27, 2021. Before 2019, the county had fewer than five such diagnoses a year.
The same report said the pandemic affected HIV work in 2020 and 2021. Partner services were cut back, outreach testing was limited and drop-in centers closed. Service providers said these limits made it harder to reach people who inject drugs.
From April 2021, the health department and its partners took free testing to public sites. See expanded HIV testing throughout Charleston and the HIV task force.