National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day

October 15 is National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day. A day to increase awareness of the impact of HIV on the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of the 37,968 new HIV diagnoses in the US and dependent areas in 2018, 27% were among Hispanics/Latinos.

Here are the steps you can take to prevent getting HIV and avoid giving it to your partner if you already have HIV:

If you are at risk for HIV, you can take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP to lessen your chance of getting HIV from sex.

If you have HIV, take all medicines as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Taking your HIV medication as prescribed can make the amount of virus in your blood undetectable in labs. If you stay undetectable, you can stay healthy and have effectively no risk of giving HIV to your sex partners.

Get tested for other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Having other STDs increases your risk of getting HIV or giving it to others.

Use condoms. Using condoms the right way every time you have sex lessens your chance of getting HIV and other STDs.

Abstinence. Not having sex.

For more information on safer sex for preventing HIV, visit https://bit.ly/3AARQ7v