This week is National HIV Testing Week and two city region based organisations are making it easier than ever to get tested for STIs and learn your HIV status.
Sahir House
Sahir House’s campaign aims to promote regular testing among the most-affected population groups in England. Regular testing helps to reduce the number of people living with undiagnosed HIV and those diagnosed late.
Things you should know about HIV testing:
- Testing is free, quick and easy. You can even test from home, all it takes is a finger-prick test
- People can live with HIV for a long time without any symptoms, testing is the only way to know your HIV status
- If you have HIV, finding out means you can start treatment, stay healthy and avoid passing the virus on to anyone else
- There are many ways to test – at a sexual health clinic, your GP, through HIV and sexual health charities or by ordering a test online
- Anyone diagnosed with HIV in the UK can access free treatment and support
Sahir House along with many other services are offering more opportunities for you to test during this campaign week. See where you can go for a test on Merseyside on the HIV Testing page here.
If you can’t make it to any of these venues, then you can order a free and discreet HIV postal test kit from freetesting.hiv or sh24.org.uk
Axess Sexual Health
Axess Sexual Health is spreading the word about the importance of getting tested and knowing your status through its #AllYouNeedIsLove? campaign. The campaign highlights that love alone won’t protect you from STIs, which is why it is important to get tested.
You can get involved in its campaign and help raise awareness by taking a photo holding up a hand-drawn sign with the hashtag #AllYouNeedIsLove? And sharing from your social channels, tagging in Axcess and signposting to its website www.axess.clinic where information on testing and treatment is available.
