Cobb & Douglas Public Health Offers Free HIV Testing at World AIDS Day Events
Cobb & Douglas Public Health Offers Free HIV Testing at World AIDS Day Events
In honor of World AIDS Day, Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) will host several free HIV testing events in the Metro-Atlanta area:
- On Monday, November 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at MUST Hope House Homeless Shelter, located at 1297 Bells Ferry Road, Marietta, GA 30066
- On Wednesday, November 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 pm. at Chattahoochee Technical College, located at 980 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA 30060
- On Thursday, November 30, from 12 to 4 p.m. at Exquisite Barber Saloon, located at 822 Concord Road, Smyrna, GA 30080
- On Monday, December 4, from 12 to 3 p.m. at Walgreens Pharmacy, located at 3851 Chapel Hill Road, Douglasville, GA 30135
“It is vital that we continue to educate the community about HIV and HIV prevention methods that are available. Increasing condom usage, learning more about PrEP, and getting tested regularly are simple yet effective tools to ensure that everyone can maintain their optimal sexual health and wellness,” said Karrie Reed, CDPH Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Director."
The Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2021 HIV Disease Surveillance Summary indicated that Georgia ranked No. 4 in the rate of people living with HIV after the District of Columbia, Maryland, and New York. 156 people were diagnosed with HIV in Cobb County, and 37 people were diagnosed with HIV in Douglas County.
The National AIDS Trust states that, globally, there are an estimated 38 million people who have the virus. Despite the virus only being identified in the 1980s, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS over the past 40 years, making it one of the biggest pandemics in history.
Cobb & Douglas Public Health’s testing, counseling, and outreach efforts include the help of knowledgeable, compassionate counselors who can guide residents through next-step options or discuss risk-reduction techniques.
Testing during the World AIDS Day events is free and open to everyone. For more information about the free HIV testing events, call 770-514-2815.
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About Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Cobb & Douglas Public Health and the Georgia Department of Public Health have been committed to the mission of "Healthier Lives. Healthier Community.” since 1920. We are dedicated to improving our residents’ quality of life by tracking and preventing the spread of disease, promoting health and safety, providing exceptional medical services, and ensuring that our community is prepared for public health emergencies.
About Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE):
Cobb County has been identified as one of the 48 counties in the nation with the highest incidence of recent HIV infections. The other counties in Georgia include Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett. The EHE initiative aims to reduce the number of new HIV diagnoses by 75 percent within five years and by at least 90 percent within ten years. For more information, visit www.cobbehe.org.