HIV Testing Day to be held in Grande Prairie

Jun 25, 2018 | 4:05 PM

Over 40 communities across the country, including Grande Prairie, will take part in the first national HIV Testing Day.

There are two locations and two time slots to take part in on June 27. From 9 a.m. to noon, testing will go at Rotary House. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre will be hosting tests.

Johnathon Fortune, Team Lead with HIV North Society, says they are hoping everyone can go get tested especially those that are disproportionately impacted by the disease.

The idea behind the day is to reduce the stigma.

“It really goes to show how far we have come,” said Fortune.

“It has been quite a long time since the virus was the big scary virus at the forefront of the news.”

The theme this year is “Know Your Status”.

Gary LeCasse, Executive Director of the Canadian AIDS Society, says the only way to know for certain that you are not HIV-positive is to get tested.

According to a press release from the HIV North Society, there are around 75,000 people in Canada with HIV, one in five of those not aware that they have it.

You can visit the Canadian AIDS Society website for more details on the day or HIV North Society Facebook page.

by Justine Kelsie