National HIV Testing Day is Today, Area Clinics Offer Tests

Today is National HIV Testing Day. Burke residents can get tested at area clinics.

The Joseph Willard Health Center in Fairfax (3750 Old Lee Hwy.), which is run by the Fairfax County Department of Health, offers free STD testing during limited hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Anonymous HIV testing is available on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 5 – 6:30 p.m. For more information, call (703) 246-7100 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/whcsch.htm.

Planned Parenthood in Falls Church (370 S. Washington St.) offers rapid HIV testing with results in 20 – 40 minutes. For more information, call (703) 533-5651 or visit www.ppfa.org. 

Local STD testing in Springfield (6120 Brandon Ave.) offers affordable, same-day testing and accepts some insurance plans. Call (571) 297-7191 for information or visit www.localstdtesting.com/HIV.aspx.

In addition, many doctors offices and hospitals offer HIV testing.

President Obama this morning told reporters more than 600,000 people have died from AIDS-related illnesses or complications and more than 1 million may be living with HIV now in the United States. One in five people infected with HIV may be unaware they have it.

Washington, D.C. has one of the highest rates of HIV and AIDS in the country, with more than 3 percent of the population impacted.