Free HIV testing will be offered during the annual Wellness Resource Fair.

The AIDS Leadership Foothills Area Alliance, also known as ALFA, will be performing free HIV tests Monday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Blue Ridge Ballroom in the Plemmons Student Union.

The event will consist of contact tables with information, prizes and resources according to the Engage App State website.

ALFA is an active organization who helps “people living with or affected by HIV connect with community resources” across nine different counties in western North Carolina, according to the ALFA website.

In 2022, the cost of HIV tests in the U.S. ranged between $39-$79, according to HIVtalk.net. The M.S. Shook Student Health Service office, located in the Miles Annas Student Support Center on App State’s campus, offers HIV tests at $15 for students. On Monday, they will be free during this opportunity.

From 2015-19, the rate of HIV diagnoses among people ages 13-24 decreased by 16%, according to the CDC.

“Without treatment, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) can make a person very sick and even cause death,” according to the CDC. 

They encourage individuals to get tested at least once and ALFA aims to provide the resources for this reason. 

“Just because you feel fine doesn’t mean you are. The sooner you know your status and get into medical care, the better your prognosis,” according to the ALFA website.

ALFA’s 2023-25 mission statement is “to reduce the stigma and impact of HIV, viral hepatitis, STIs, and other communicable diseases through access to equitable prevention, education, and care services.”