People over 16 in Taunton can now access a free HIV test from the comfort of their own home.
National HIV Testing Week runs from Monday 1 February to Sunday 7 February with a focus on HIV testing at home, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Eddystone Trust, county council and NHS are encouraging people to find out their HIV status by ordering a free finger prick test through the post, which is quick and easy to use.
Kat Briggs, an assistant practitioner at the Somerset-wide integrated sexual health service (SWISH), which is run by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, has told Tone News:
There are almost 300 people living with HIV in Somerset, 97 per cent of who take medication to control the virus and prevent them passing it on to anyone else.
Testing for HIV puts you in control and, thanks to treatment, will stop you from getting seriously ill and enable you to live a normal lifespan.
Lockdown has meant that most people have had fewer sexual partners, if any at all, and now is the perfect time to be sure you know your HIV status.
This national testing week encourages people to have a free, quick and confidential HIV test, particularly those in groups most affected by HIV, including men who have sex with men and black African men and women.
