World AIDS Day is held each year on December 1. The first World AIDS Day took place in 1988.
World AIDS Day 2021 in Charleston
On December 1, 2021, several groups offered quick, easy HIV testing at Covenant House in Charleston. The event also gave education and counseling on site. Groups at the event included Covenant House, the CAMC Ryan White HIV Program, the Women’s Health Center of West Virginia and SOAR WV. Across town, a new syringe disposal box was put in place, painted with notes of thanks.
Why testing mattered in Kanawha County
In 2021, Kanawha County had an HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs. A CDC report counted 85 people in the outbreak from January 2019 to October 27, 2021. Only 33 percent of the living patients had the virus under control at their last test.
Through 2021, the county health department and community partners held free HIV testing events at sites across the county, with linkage to care. See expanded HIV testing opportunities continue.
Who should get tested
The CDC says everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should get tested for HIV at least once. People with certain risks, such as sharing injection equipment or having more than one partner since the last test, should get tested at least once a year.
Sources
- HIV.gov: World AIDS Day
- WOWK 13 News: World AIDS Day offers chance for remembrance and education (December 1, 2021)
- Charleston Gazette-Mail: World AIDS Day events to be held throughout Charleston Wednesday
- CDC MMWR: HIV Outbreak During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Persons Who Inject Drugs, Kanawha County, West Virginia, 2019-2021 (January 14, 2022)
- CDC: Getting Tested for HIV