Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) is hosting free HIV and select STD testing in honor of STD Awareness Month on Tuesday, April 24 at the Marietta Public Health Center.

What:
Free Rapid HIV Testing (results in seconds)
Free Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Testing

When:
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Where:
Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Marietta Public Health Center, Building A Boardroom
1650 County Services Parkway
Marietta, GA 30008
For Information, call: 770-514-2432

A 4.7% increase since 2015 brought the total cases of chlamydia to 1.59 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in their 2016 State of STDs in the United States report. Cases of gonorrhea have similarly been rising, now up nearly 470, 000 since 2015. Even more alarming, having a sexually transmitted disease (STD) increases your risk of getting or sharing HIV.

“Anyone who is sexually active is at risk of sharing or contracting an STD,” said Rachel Franklin, director of epidemiology at Cobb & Douglas Public Health. “While getting tested is important for everyone, young people aged 15 – 24, gay & bisexual men, and pregnant women are the most at-risk for developing and sharing STDs. We want to make sure our residents are aware that they can get tested for these infections, get into treatment, and practice safer habits that will keep them and their loved ones healthier in the long run.”

Most STDs don’t cause any symptoms and the only way to know for sure whether you have an STD like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or HIV is to get tested. Many methods of birth control are effective at preventing unintended pregnancy, but the only birth control method that protects against STD infections is condoms. Untreated STDs can also lead to long-term pelvic and abdominal pain, complications with reproduction, and may cause death.

To learn more about STDs and the importance of getting tested, visit https://www.cdc.gov/std/sam/2018-patients.htm.

About Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Since 1920, Cobb & Douglas Public Health, with our partners, promotes and protects the health and safety of the residents of Cobb and Douglas counties. We work to achieve healthy people in healthy communities by: Preventing epidemics and spread of disease; Protecting against environmental hazards; Preventing injuries; Promoting and encouraging healthy behaviors; Responding to disasters and assisting in community recovery; Assuring the quality and accessibility of health care. By excelling at our core responsibilities, we will assist our residents in living healthier, longer and more rewarding lives. Visit: www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org