BRYAN, Texas — Planning ahead of time when it comes to testing, immunizations and overall health is essential.
The Brazos County Health District is making sure you prioritize your health in this one stop shop event in honor of National HIV Testing Day.
Plan while you can—plus knowing your status and how to prepare in this Texas summer heat—are a couple of things you’ll walk away knowing more of come Tuesday.
“We will be providing rapid HIV screens,” said nurse RaiJaniece Robinson. “It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get done waiting on your lab work to get back. We are partnered with Project Unity. We have a license social worker on staff as well if you need any counseling or any guidance on which way to go, not just on HIV, but for any other STIs.”
Women, particularly African American, are now at a higher risk of developing HIV.
According to the CDC, 1.2 million people had HIV in the United States in 2021. Only 87 percent knew they were positive.
Black/African American people accounted for 40 percent of all new HIV diagnoses.
“We are one of the second highest incidents of new onset, new diagnosed HIV in the U.S. so we want to make sure that you guys come in as well, get tested,” said Robinson. “Know your status.”
June is also men’s health awareness month—free screenings are available Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. until the end of the week.
Resources will also be available on how to battle these hot temperatures we’re experiencing in the Brazos Valley.
“On what to do whenever it’s too hot outside, what symptoms to look out for in case they may be feeling heat exhaustion,” said Rosa Hines with the Brazos County Health Emergency Preparedness Division.
The health district’s goal is to go out to organizations in the community and prepare employees with go-kits.
“You can grab it and go,” said Hines. “It has your emergency documents in it. It has maybe a spare charger, your medications, things that are specific to you that you would need in case of an emergency or in case you need to leave your home for 72 hours, are you prepared to be away?”
'Plan while you can' is June 27, 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at 201 N. Texas Avenue in Bryan. The event is free and there will be gift card giveaways for knowing your status.
The health district also says HPV vaccines is another way to protect yourself this summer.
For more details, contact the Brazos County Health District.