Free HIV Testing In Lexington For World AIDS Day

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department said it would offer free HIV testing next Monday on World AIDS Day.

It said the the testing would be done throughout the community.

LFCHD said its staff would be at the following spots throughout the day:

•9-11 a.m. at the corner of Rand Avenue and North Limestone Street

•Noon-2 p.m. at College for Technical Education, 1165 Centre Parkway

•3-5 p.m. 2189 Versailles Road (Save-A-Lot parking lot).

World AIDS Day, held on Dec. 1, was created to celebrate the successes in battling the epidemic and raise awareness in the fight against the disease.

“Early detection and treatment is crucial in preventing long-term complications and reducing transmission rates,” said LFCHD spokesman Kevin Hall. “Getting a free HIV test is important in learning more about HIV.”

The health department said more than 1 million adults and adolescents were living with HIV in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone in the U.S. is infected with HIV every 9.5 minutes.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health said at the end of 2013, 5,949 Kentuckians reported living with HIV disease.

The number did not include an estimated 2,090 Kentuckians that were unaware of their infection.

The health department said early detection and treatment can prevent long-term complications and reduce transmission rates.

For more information, click here to see the health department’s Facebook page.

You will also find the health department on Twitter here.