Red is the color of love, anger, and action. It is the color of Valentine’s Day banners and heart-shaped boxes holding chocolates that will be on display this Friday.  Red is also the color of looped satin ribbons pinned onto clothing to represent HIV/AIDS awareness. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), one million out of six million people living in the US have HIV. One in six people are not aware of their infection. One in four of those new infections is in people ages 13-24.

Candy hearts may be passed freely this Valentine’s Day, but a sexually transmitted disease can spread quickly from person-to-person if a carrier goes undiagnosed, unlike a box of candy that can be thrown away. HIV-1 and HIV-2, in particular, spread through bodily fluids such as blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, breast milk, vaginal fluids, and rectal mucous.

Until last year, there were three ways to get tested for HIV: urine sample, blood sample, and mouth swab; all of which had to occur in a clinic or doctor’s office. The test results for an Enzyme immunoassay test (EIA) to detects HIV antibodies can take up to two weeks to produce results. But with recent medical developments. you and your partner can test for HIV-1 and HIV-2 in the privacy of your home and get results in just 20 minutes. OraQuick is an FDA-approved single use mouth swab test available at drugstores such as CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. The $39.99 testing kit includes step-by-step directions, an oral swab test stick, a tube with solution and information on HIV. This test is only preliminary and must be confirmed by a blood test in a medical setting.

At the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, located in the West Village, OraQuick tests are provided free of cost every Wednesday, which allow people to see their results in minutes, as opposed to 14 days for a blood test. While the center does not provide medical services, it offers support groups, access to counselors and other resources. It currently hosts a support group for the newly diagnosed. Heidi Peck, Associate Director of Adult Services at the Center, says that it’s very important to get tested.

“[It’s important] so you can be connected to resources,” Peck said. “Knowing your status is key.”

The cost for an uninsured student’s test at Student Health Services is approximately $12. If the student tests positive the second confirmatory test is $28.

“Students should begin testing as soon as they become sexually active,” Jayne Jordan, director of Medical Services at The New School told the Free Press.

The school does not offer HIV treatment but will provide basic routine lab tests and can connect students to health centers specialized in HIV treatment.  They also stay in touch with students throughout the process.

“Sometimes we give out our personal cell to make sure that the student feels supported in [receiving] that news,” Jordan said.

While the OraQuick test is just as effective as a test given in a medical setting, there is no physical person-to-person support.

“My only concern is that people have the support system in place that they need and making sure that they have resources available to them to get the proper information, negative or positive,” Jordan said. “It seems to me that there’s the potential for it to be isolating.”

The CDC recommends that you get tested at least once a year. If an HIV infection goes undiagnosed, the person can unknowingly spread the disease to others. If untreated, their immune system will be negatively affected. This Valentine’s Day, ask and give your partner the gift that keeps on giving: a clean bill of health with a side of negative STD test results, so that you can enjoy February 14 for this year and many more to come.

 

Student Health Services
80 Fifth Ave 3rd Fl
New York, NY 10011
212-229-1671
M 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. -. 5 p.m.
T W R 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
F 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
– HIV test by appointment. Call ahead to confirm testing days and times.
– Free testing Mondays 2 – 4:30 p.m., first come, first served and open to anyone, not just the New School community.
-Counseling and educational services available.

Planned Parenthood Margaret Sanger Center
26 Bleecker St.
New York, NY 10012
212-965-7000
M T 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
W R F 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Sat 7:30 a.m. – 4 .p.m.
-Offers various types of birth control and contraceptive via appointment.
-Offers HIV testing during all business hours by appointment, no medical exam necessary
-Rapid HIV test and blood test available
-Counseling referral service and treatment referral services available.
-Private and confidential counseling on site.
-Contact center for pricing information, if uninsured you may qualify for state-funded program or lower fee scale.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
208 West 14th St
New York, NY 10011
212-620-7310
-Free Rapid HIV testing on Wednesdays from 5-7pm
-Free counseling for individuals, couples, families, and group counseling. Call to check dates and times, 646-556-9300.