Dept. of Health & Walgreens Offer Free HIV Tests Through 2016

Friday is National HIV Testing Day, and the Virginia Department of Health wants to ensure accessing affordable, reliable HIV tests is as easy as possible.

From now until 2016, select Walgreens stores across Virginia will offer free daily HIV testing with no appointment necessary. Walgreens pharmacists will administer the tests in private consultation rooms and results can be provided in as little as one minute, according to a press release.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six individuals living with HIV is unaware of their status.

"There are many reasons people do not get screened for HIV, or do not return to find out the results of their screenings," said State Health Commissioner Marissa J. Levine in a statement. "Together with Walgreens, we want to reduce those reasons by making it convenient for people to get screened, get results within minutes and get access to care if necessary."

Locations include Alexandria, Collinsville, Danville, Fredericksburg, Hopewell, Manassas, Martinsville, Norfolk, Reston, Richmond, South Boston and Williamsburg.

Find your nearest Walgreens offering HIV testing services by visiting www.greaterthan.org/virginia. For more information about HIV/AIDS and locations for confidential testing, contact the Disease Prevention Hotline toll-free at (800) 533-4148.