TAMPA, FLA-- Everyone loves freebies. And the Department of Health is banking on that with various locations offer free HIV tests on June 27 in recognition of National HIV Testing Day.
The Department of Health is encouraging residents to get tested for their health.
Studies show that if an HIV positive person starts antiretroviral therapy soon after diagnosis, their long-term prognosis improves significantly.
DOH Human Services Program Director James Roth acknowledges that "some people avoid getting tested because they are afraid of testing HIV positive. What many do not know is that with the right medication, HIV can become undetectable in lab tests. If HIV is undetectable for six months, it becomes untransmittable."
According to the latest numbers from the Center for Disease Control, Florida was fourth in the country for new HIV transmissions in 2016, after Washington D.C, Georgia, and Louisiana.
"In the United States, one in seven people are infected with HIV and do not know it, causing 50 percent of new infections," says Human Services Program Director James Roth.
Which is why, besides the testing, the DOH has another freebie to watch for. They say that by the end of the year, all 67 county health departments in Florida will be offering medication that, if taken daily, can prevent new HIV infection 90 percent of the time.
Currently, the medication, called Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is available at the DOH Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic at the University Area Community Health Center. The first 90-day supply is free.
Free HIV testing will be offered in the following locations on June 27:
ST. PETERSBURG:
AHF Healthcare Foundations' state-of-the-art HIV/AIDS clinic in South St. Pete, located at 3400 26th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33711.
TAMPA:
DOH Specialty Care Center at E. Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa from 7 a.m to 3 p.m.
Florida Department of Health Hillsborough County
13601 N 22nd St, Tampa, FL 33613(813)-307-8058Metro Wellness and Community Centers
1315 E 7th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605(813)-232-3808Ybor Youth Clinic
1315 E 7th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605(813)-396-9021Tampa Family Health Centers
2103 N Rome Ave, Tampa, FL 33607(813)-490-1426Synergy Health Centers Incorporated
318 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tampa, FL 33603(813)-626-4926EPIC
4703 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33603-3734(813)-237-3066Diversity Health Center of Tampa Bay
4302 N Habana Ave, Tampa, FL 33607-6368(813)-518-0881Tampa Family Health Centers
4620 N 22nd St, Tampa, FL 33610-6205(813)-272-6240BayCare
4600 N Habana, Tampa, FL 33614(813)-870-4460Tampa Family Health Centers
4422 E Columbus Dr, Tampa, FL 33605(813)-384-4151Tampa Family Health Centers
5707 N 22nd St, Tampa, FL 33613(813)-239-8533Suncoast Community Health Centers Incorporated
5121 State Rd 674, Wimauma, FL 33598(813)-653-6100Tampa Family Health Centers
8108 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL 33604(813)-712-1930Midtown Medical Center
6919 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614(813)-935-3221Infectious Disease of Tampa
7001 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614(813)-915-5454Tampa Family Health Centers
3901 S Westshore Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611(813)-712-1940Suncoast Community Health Centers Incorporated
7728 Palm River Rd, Tampa, FL 33619(813)-653-6100Tampa Family Health Centers
7814 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614-3220(813)-405-3939Tampa Family Health Centers
7608 Causeway Blvd, Tampa, FL 33619(813)-405-3710Tampa Family Health Centers
6216 E Sligh Ave, Tampa, FL 33617-3220(813)-549-8060Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida
8068 N 56th St, Tampa, FL 33617(813)-980-3555Midway Specialty Care Center Tampa
3317 W Gandy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33661(813)-902-8600Tampa Family Health Centers
1502 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612-5416(813)-866-0950Florida Institute for Community Studies Incorporated
7510 Soccer Ave, Tampa, FL 33634(813)-249-8100Tampa Family Health Centers
30 W Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33612(813)-397-5305Tampa Family Health Centers
5611 Sheldon Rd, Tampa, FL 33615(813)-397-5320Tampa Family Health Centers
3100 E Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613(813)-397-5310Tampa Family Health Centers
8213 W Waters Ave, Tampa, FL 33615(813)-490-5420Brandon Health Center
313 S Lakewood Dr, Brandon, FL 33511(813)-653-6100Suncoast Community Health Centers Incorporated
14254 Dr Martin Luther King Blvd, Dover, FL 33527(813)-653-6100
LARGO:
Bread and Roses Womans Health Center
1560 S Highland Ave, Clearwater, FL 33756-2372(727)-446-2690Empath Partners in Care
1214 Cleveland St, Clearwater, FL 33755(727)-449-2437Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
6350 76th Ave N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781(727)-547-7780West Coast Infectious Disease Incorporated
1840 Mease Dr, Safety Harbor, FL 34695(727)-669-6800Metro Wellness and Community Centers
3251 3rd Ave N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33713(727)-321-3854Empath Partners in Care
3050 1st Ave S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33712-1010(727)-328-3260Metro Thrift Store
2235 Central Ave, Saint Petersburg, FL 33713(727)-321-7212Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
205 Dr M L King Jr St N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701-3109(727)-824-6900Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center
1344 22nd St S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33712-2744(727)-821-6701Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida
33 6th St S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701(727)-898-8199Bayfront Health Medical Group
470 2nd St S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701(727)-893-6060Roser Park Medical Center
500 Roser Park Dr S, St Petersburg, FL 33701(727)-898-4461Tampa Family Health Centers
5611 Sheldon Rd, Tampa, FL 33615(813)-397-5320Empath Partners in Care
4601 34th St S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33711-4552(727)-328-3260Florida Institute for Community Studies Incorporated
7510 Soccer Ave, Tampa, FL 33634(813)-249-8100Tampa Family Health Centers
8213 W Waters Ave, Tampa, FL 33615(813)-490-5420Tampa Family Health Centers
3901 S Westshore Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611(813)-712-1940Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
301 S Disston Ave, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689(727)-942-5457Diversity Health Center of Tampa Bay
4302 N Habana Ave, Tampa, FL 33607-6368(813)-518-0881Suncoast Community Health Centers Incorporated
5121 State Rd 674, Wimauma, FL 33598(813)-653-6100Midtown Medical Center
6919 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614(813)-935-3221Infectious Disease of Tampa
7001 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614(813)-915-5454Tampa Family Health Centers
7814 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614-3220(813)-405-3939BayCare
4600 N Habana, Tampa, FL 33614(813)-870-4460Tampa Family Health Centers
2103 N Rome Ave, Tampa, FL 33607(813)-490-1426
PASCO COUNTY:
10841 Little Rd in New Port Richey for free rapid HIV and Hepatitis C testing from 9 a.m until 3 p.m. Rapid test results will only take 20 minutes.
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