National HIV Testing Day, June 27

The 19th annual observance of National HIV Testing Day is June 27, a time to promote one of our best tools for HIV prevention --- HIV testing. Join the National HIV Testing Day campaign to encourage people across the country to ‘Take Control. Take the Test.’ on Testing Day and year round.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently released HIV testing recommendations that everyone aged 15 to 65 should be screened for HIV infection. CDC also recommends HIV testing for everyone at least once as a part of routine health care, and once a year for people at increased risk—such as gay and bisexual men, people who inject drugs, or people with multiple sex partners. Regular testing allows people who have HIV to know their status, get life-saving treatment and care, and prevent HIV transmission to others.

Too many people don’t know they have HIV. More than 1 million people are living with HIV in the United States, but almost 1 in 5 do not know they are infected.

CDC Is Committed to Increasing HIV Testing

CDC continues to work with federal, state, and local partners to expand routine HIV testing—not just on National HIV Testing Day but all year long. In 2010, CDC implemented new phases of its successful Expanded Testing Initiative, funding 30 health departments to focus on increasing HIV testing among African Americans and Latinos as well as gay and bisexual men and injection drug users of all races and ethnicities.

CDC’s Act Against AIDS (AAA) campaigns work to further expand HIV testing, raise awareness about HIV and AIDS among all Americans, and reduce the risk of infection among the hardest-hit populations.

Reasons/Razones, the newest AAA campaign, promotes HIV testing among gay and bisexual Latino men.
Testing Makes Us Stronger encourages African American gay and bisexual men to get tested for HIV.
Take Charge. Take the Test. encourages African American women to get tested for HIV.
Let’s Stop HIV Together, a general-awareness AAA campaign to reduce stigma, urges everyone to "get the facts, get tested, and get involved."

CDC is undertaking numerous National HIV Testing Day activities for 2013

Take part in one or more CDC Testing Day activities. Some activities simply invite you to visit a website or watch a video, and others ask you to take part in the HIV testing conversation by participating in a TwitterChat or creating a Let’s Stop HIV Together ad on Facebook. There are many ways to get involved this Testing Day.

Explore the National HIV Testing Day Website—This site features an interactive map that lists NHTD community events across the United States where HIV testing will be offered around and on June 27th. Add your community events to the map on the NHTD site. Posters and other materials are available for download.
Attend the REASONS/RAZONES Miami Launch —On June 26th in the Miami metropolitan area, CDC and local community-based organizations will launch REASONS/RAZONES—a national campaign that promotes HIV testing among Latino gay and bisexual men. The campaign aims to demonstrate that knowing one's HIV status is important and empowering, and was developed with community input.
Participate in the NHTD Twitter Chat with the CDC Director–June 27th, National HIV Testing Day, at 2PM ET, CDC Director Dr. Frieden will host aTwitter Chat on the topic of HIV testing with CDC expert Dr. Jonathan Mermin. The chat will focus on the importance of testing in the United States. Use #CDCchat to join the conversation.
Download the new HIV Testing Fact Sheet—This fact sheet provides information on the types of HIV tests available and trends in testing. It is available on the CDC HIV website at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/HIV-Testing-US-508.pdf www.cdc.gov/hiv.
Look for the Act Against AIDS video in Times Square--- On July 26 and 27, two jumbo screens in Times Square will feature a National HIV Testing Day/Act Against AIDS public service announcement encouraging viewers to get an HIV test.
Follow CDC on Facebook and Twitter– HIV testing messages, using #NHTD, will be posted on numerous CDC social media accounts including the Act Against AIDS, Reasons/Razones, and Testing Makes Us Stronger Facebook pages and @CDCgov, @TalkHIV, @CDC_HIVAIDS Twitter accounts.
Watch an NHTD interview and PSAs by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in support of National HIV Testing Day– The Secretary is appearing in an interview with AAALI partner, American Urban Radio Networks (AURN), and two PSAs for NHTD. Act Against AIDS will share the interview when it is available, and the PSAs will be posted on AIDS.gov prior to Testing Day.
Visit CDC websites for HIV Testing Day information—National HIV Testing Day features on www.cdc.gov, Act Against AIDS, www.cdc.gov/nchhstp and www.cdc.gov/hiv will provide background and information on HIV testing. AIDS.gov is also joining by featuring new content for NHTD on their site, www.aids.gov. Read the Testing Day blog on www.AIDS.gov as well.