Health district encourages transgender people to test for HIV
The Southern Nevada Health District is encouraging transgender and nonbinary persons to get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in conjunction with National Transgender HIV Testing Day on Tuesday.
The April 18 date is used to recognize the importance of routine HIV testing, status awareness and continued focus on HIV prevention and treatment for transgender and nonbinary people in the community.
Two percent of new HIV diagnoses in 2019 in the U.S. were in transgender people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Clark County, transgender people made up 3.4 percent of new HIV diagnoses from 2017-2021, the health district said.
Early diagnosis of HIV is critical to benefit from antiretroviral therapy, which reduces HIV levels in the bloodstream, reduces HIV-related illnesses and lowers the risk of transmitting HIV to intimate partners. With therapy, HIV-positive people can remain healthy for many years.
Free Express HIV Testing is available Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sexual Health Clinic, 280 S. Decatur Blvd. Walk-ins are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, but patients are encouraged to arrive early and they must be without symptoms. Testing also is offered for syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Free HIV testing is also available in the Arlene Cooper Clinic at The Center, 401 S. Maryland Parkway. Services are offered Monday through Thursday from 1 to 6 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are accepted.
In observation of National Transgender HIV Testing Day, the Center will host a dinner with entertainment from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 18. Free HIV testing along with raffle items will be offered. RSVP at tinyurl.com/TransHIVTestingDay-Dinner.
