In honor of World AIDS Day, Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) will be hosting several free HIV testing events in the Metro-Atlanta area:

• On Monday, December 1, 3 to 7:00 p.m., at Walgreens in Austell: 4120 Austell Road, Austell, GA 30106.
• On Thursday, December 4, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at Chattahoochee Technical College in Marietta: 980 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA 30060.
• On Saturday, December 6, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at Reflections of Trinity Food Pantry in Powder Springs: 4037 Austell Powder Springs Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127.

“It is vital that we continue to educate the community about HIV and HIV prevention methods that are available. Increasing condom usage, learning more about PrEP and getting tested regularly are simple yet effective tools to ensure that everyone can maintain their optimal sexual health and wellness,” said Marie Paul-David, CDPH STI/HIV Director.

The Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2023 HIV Epidemiology Surveillance Summary indicated that Georgia had the third highest rate of people living with HIV in the United States after the District of Columbia and New York.

The National AIDS Trust states that, globally, there are an estimated 38 million people who live with the virus. Despite the virus only being identified in 1980s, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS over the past 40 years, making it one of the biggest pandemics in history.

Cobb & Douglas Public Health’s testing, counseling and outreach efforts include the help of knowledgeable, compassionate counselors that can guide residents through next step options or discuss risk-reduction techniques. For more information, call 770-514-2815.

About Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Cobb & Douglas Public Health, along with the Georgia Department of Public Health, has been committed to the mission of “Healthier Lives. Healthier Community.” since 1920. We are dedicated to improving our residents’ quality of life by tracking and preventing the spread of disease, promoting health and safety, providing exceptional medical services, and ensuring that our community is prepared for public health emergencies.

About Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE):
Cobb County has been identified as one of the 48 counties in the nation with the highest incidence of recent HIV infections. The other counties in Georgia include Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett. The EHE initiative aims to reduce the number of new HIV diagnoses by 75 percent within five years and by at least 90 percent within ten years. For more information, visit cobbhiv.org