December 1, 2014                             

CONTACT: Mary C. St. Mary/Mary.StMary@Erie.Gov

Phone: 716.858.4941/ Mobile: 716.253.3925

 World AIDS Day 2014

Time to Reflect on Progress Made & Challenges Ahead

ERIE COUNTY, NY—World AIDS Day 2014, December 1, 2014, is focused on the opportunity to it can only be achieved by closing the gap between people who have access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services and people who are being left behind.

“For the HIV community, the December 1st observance of World AIDS Day provides an unparalleled opportunity to bring wide attention to our collective response to the epidemic. We as a community need to continue our efforts in research, education and treatment to finally end this often overlooked crisis” states Dr. Gale Burstein, Erie County Commissioner of Health.

“In the United States, there are approximately 50,000 new incidences annually of individuals with HIV infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) estimates that more than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection. What is most alarming is that almost 1 in 7 (14%) do not know they carry HIV and can be unknowingly spreading the virus to others. Another disturbing fact is that 1 out of 4 new HIV infections are among young adults (13-24 years old)” Burstein concluded.

The Erie County Department of Health provides free, confidential screening for HIV at their walk-in Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic at 608 William Street, Buffalo, NY, 14206. For additional information and hours, contact the clinic at 716-858-7687.

For more information

Erie County Department of Health -- http://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=sexually-transmitted-disease-clinics

New York State Department of Health -- http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – www.aids.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- http://www.cdc.gov/actagainstaids/