November 27, 2006

WORLD AIDS DAY RESOLUTION APPROVED BY BOARD
--FREE HIV TESTING TO BE GIVEN--

Contact: Melanie Montalto, Legislative Aide
Tel: (914) 995-8620
MelanieM@westchesterlegislators.com

County Legislator Judy Myers (D,I,WF- Larchmont), Chair of the Family, Health and Human Services Committee, announced that at this evening’s meeting the Board of Legislators passed a resolution that calls attention to World AIDS Day this Friday, December 1, 2006, and encourages county residents to get an HIV test.

“In conjunction with passing this much needed resolution, I would like to announce, on behalf of the Family, Health, and Human Services Committee, that free, confidential HIV tests will be available this Friday, December 1, World AIDS Day, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in front of the county office building at 85 Court Street in White Plains. This initiative is available free of charge to the public in an effort to raise awareness of the benefits of early detection of HIV. Given the high number of AIDS and HIV cases in Westchester County, we want to encourage our residents to act responsibly and get themselves tested to prevent the further spread of this incurable disease.”

Click here for flyer. (PDF)

Through recent Family, Health and Human Services Committee meetings with Dr. Joshua Lipsman, the Commissioner of the Department of Health, the Committee learned that outside of New York City, Westchester has the highest number of AIDS cases in the state, and the fourth highest HIV case rate out of all of the counties in New York. Through testing, however, research shows that risky behavior and the possible spread of the disease can be reduced by 50% if HIV infection is discovered, life saving medications can be administered early, when treatment is more effective and contagion can be lowered.

The free HIV tests will be provided by the mobile HIV testing unit from the Westchester Medical Center, in their 56 foot Winnebago. The tests are conducted with an oral swab, and the results are available in twenty minutes. Personal information and test results will be confidential. Due to this new form of oral testing there is no need to draw blood, making it easier for those who fear needles to get the test, and it allows for faster results.

Click here to view resolution.