On Thursday, Valentine’s Day, the Genesee County Health Department in Flint is offering STD screening, including free HIV testing, and running a small health fair. The health fair is part of GCHD’s fourth annual Black AIDS Awareness Campaign, which is running Feb. 1-March 15.

“It’s recommended that all adults should be tested for HIV if they’re sexually active,” said Mark Valacak, the county’s community health director. “That’s still not happening, but we’re offering the chance, while love is in the air, to be tested on Valentine’s Day.”

Some people simply do not want to know if they have HIV, possibly part of a group of people who are “positive and unaware” they are infected, Valacak said. “The danger there is that new medications are available to help lead a normal life, provided the disease is found early.”

An estimated one in 100 black men and one in 260 black women in Michigan has HIV, according to the state Department of Community Health.

In Flint, the testing event and mini-health fair will be located at GCHD, 630 S. Saginaw St. Testing is available 1-3 p.m. The health department will take $10 donations for STD screening, but HIV testing will be free.

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