FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 4, 2022

LAS VEGAS – To commemorate National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day , the Southern Nevada Health District and the Southern Nevada HIV Awareness Consortium will provide free, rapid HIV testing, STD screenings, and education about pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP, PEP) from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Monday, February 7 at Nucleus Plaza, 1040 W. Owens Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89106. The event will also feature a vendor health fair and free entertainment.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is an opportunity to highlight work underway to reduce HIV infections, reduce sexually transmitted disease and address HIV stigma in Black/African American communities. It encourages testing so people can learn their HIV status and begin to receive treatment if they are HIV-positive. Although Black/African American communities have made great progress in reducing HIV transmission, HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately impact Black/African American communities throughout the United States and Nevada. In 2019, Black/African American people in the United States accounted for 13 percent of the population but 40 percent people with HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also reports that fewer African Americans received HIV care or remained in HIV care during 2018. More information is available on the CDC’s website.

HIV testing will also be available at the Sexual Health Clinic at All Saints Episcopal Church, 4201 W. Washington Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89107, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. In addition, free at-home HIV test kits are available through the Health District’s Collect2Protectprogram.

The CDC and Health District recommend all people between the ages of 13 and 64 receive at least one HIV test. People at higher risk of HIV infection should consider getting an HIV test at least once every year and as frequently as every three months for people at higher risk. Early diagnosis is critical for people with HIV so that they can benefit from antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART reduces HIV levels in the bloodstream, reduces HIV-related illnesses, and lowers the risk of transmitting HIV to intimate partners. With ART, HIV-positive people can remain healthy for many years.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.