December 1st is a day of remembrance, education, and commitment to join the fight against AIDS.
HOUSTON – December 1st is World AIDS Day – a day to remember those lost to HIV, commit to preventing the spread of HIV, and share our support to people living with HIV around the world. Harris County Public Health (HCPH) encourages community members to #StopHIVTogether.
HIV, which stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, weakens a person’s immune system by destroying cells that fight disease and infection.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021, 36,136 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in the United States and dependent areas, which decreased seven percent from 2017 to 2020. In 2021, in Harris County, 28,659 people were living with HIV, and 1,191 people were newly diagnosed with HIV.
HIV is spread through unprotected anal or vaginal sex and by sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment. There is currently no effective cure for HIV, but with proper medical care, the disease can be controlled, and transmission can be prevented. HIV transmission can be prevented through abstinence, using condoms during sexual intercourse, encouraging routine STI testing with new sexual partners, never sharing needles with others, and the use of HIV prevention medicines such as PrEP and PEP.
For individuals living with HIV, incorporating Treatment as Prevention (TasP) is a highly effective option for preventing HIV transmission. The use of anti-retroviral (ARV) medications reduces the viral load (the amount of HIV in the body) to undetectable levels and prevents transmission to partners.
HCPH has an HIV/STI Prevention Program called Testing 123 that promotes a healthy quality of life by preventing HIV in Harris County. The program offers Harris and Montgomery County community members free preventive services such as PrEP, rapid testing, linkage to medical services, condoms, lubrication, and dental dams. Community members can call 832-927-7350 or text 281-962-8378 for a rapid HIV or STI test. A community health worker or member of Testing 123 will assist with scheduling a time and location.
The following HCPH clinics offer HIV and STI testing, RAPID Start for those individuals who are newly diagnosed HIV positive or those previous positives who have been out of care for longer than six months, and other clinical services:
- 5815 Antoine Dr., STE A, Houston, TX 77091 (Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Bi-Weekly Saturday 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
- 1730 Humble Place Dr., Humble TX 77338 (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- 3737 Red Bluff Rd., Pasadena TX 77503 (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Through the HIV/STI Prevention Program, HCPH aims to reduce stigma and provide the community with precise, non-judgmental information regarding HIV and STI prevention. This World AIDS Day, we want to remind community members that HIV has not gone away. There is still a vital need to raise awareness, fight stigma, and improve education.
For more information, please visit HCPH’s HIV/STI Prevention Program webpage or call 832-927-7350. For mobile rapid HIV/STI testing appointments, please text 281-962-8378.
