(Black PR Wire) The Ingham County Health Department will host a community HIV testing event on Thursday at the Forest Community Health Center, 2316 S. Cedar Street in Lansing.

The test is free for all Ingham County residents and is being held in observation of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. No appointment is needed, and testing takes about 30 to 45 minutes. 

Everyone tested during the event will receive a $5 or $10 gift card and receive a personal consultation, where they can discuss ways to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. 

“In the U.S., one out of every eight people infected with HIV does not know it,” Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail said in a statement. “This is a problem because early diagnosis and treatment reduces the risk of transmission and helps those who are HIV-positive live longer and healthier lives."

#  #  #