Free HIV screening offered at Hamlin Hall on Feb. 9

A free HIV screening will be offered from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at Hamlin Hall, presented by Oakland University’s Graham Health Center and the Gender and Sexuality Center. The screenings are sponsored by the Oakland County Health Division and are open to anyone on campus.

The screenings use oral swabs and are painless, said Nancy Jansen, director of Graham Health Center. Participants will be notified at the screening when to return for results, which should be available within a few weeks.

In 2009, about 100 cases of HIV and 50 cases of AIDS were diagnosed in Oakland County, according to the Oakland County Health Division. “Testing really allows you to stay healthy so much longer,” Jansen said. “Secondly, if you know your status, there’s less chance that the virus will spread.”

Two displays will be at Hamlin Hall during the screening. One, by a group known as “Stitches,” features dolls that represent artistic stories of women living with HIV. The other display, by R.E.C. Boyz, centers around HIV prevention and intervention for young gay men.