Yes, December 1st is National World AIDS Day, but we cannot stop there……

While December 1st is Worlds AIDS Day, a day that gives us an opportunity to come together and unite to stop new HIV infections, support those that have been affected and remember those who have lost their lives to HIV-related disease, we must continue to unite and bring awareness to this public health threat all year.

This is why I have decided to use this month's blog to highlight HIV/AIDS and the great accomplishments and strides that has been made.

It is estimated that 36.7 million people are living with HIV worldwide and among those 36.7 million; 19.5 million have received treatment since its peak of this epidemic in 2005. With that said, there is more work still need to be done. In 2016, there were 1.8 million new incidence of HIV and 1 million deaths due to AIDS-related causes.

So what can you do about it?

Know your risk

• If you have multiple sex partners
• If you have or are having sex with an HIV-positive partner
• If you are a sexually active gay or bisexual man
• You share needles to inject drugs
• You are positive for other Sexually Transmitted Illnesses (STIs)

**If one of more of these apply to you, you are at higher risk

Get Tested

• Ask your doctor for a HIV test, or find a testing site near you.
• Visit gettested.cdc.gov
• locate a testing center near you
• Text your zip code to KNOW IT (566849) or call 1-800-CDC-INFO(232-4636) to
• Call Illinois Department of Public Health Hotline at 800-243-2437

• EDUCATE yourself and those around you
• Help PREVENT the spread of the disease
• INSPIRE someone else by bringing awareness to the issue and creating a change