Saturday, June 27, marks National HIV Testing Day 2026 (#HIVTestingDay and #NHTD). First observed in 1995, this annual awareness day encourages folks to get educated about HIV and know their status. According to HIV.gov’s social media, this year’s theme is, “Own your health. Know your status.”
For HIV testing events and awareness posts you can share online, click #HIVTestingDay and #NHTD. Several examples are posted throughout this article.
One HIV.gov social media post reads:
National HIV Testing Day is right around the corner—and HIV testing is for all of us!
Everyone who is sexually active should be tested for HIV at least once as part of their routine health care. Do you know your HIV status? If not, then make a plan to get tested today.
Testing is quick, confidential, and can be free. See a health care provider or visit a health center to get an HIV test: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/
#NationalHIVTestingDay #HIVTestingDay #HIVTest
And an example of a post promoting local testing events involves HIV testing at Walgreens:
And another HIV.gov post reads:
What’s next after an HIV test? Whether the result is negative or positive, you can take steps to take charge of your health.
➖Negative result: You can take advantage of prevention tools like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and condoms.
➕ Positive result: You can start HIV treatment (antiretroviral therapy, or ART) to protect your health and prevent transmitting the virus to others.
Testing is quick, confidential, and can be free. Plus, knowing your status helps you protect your health! Get tested and figure out your next steps today at the link in our bio.
If you are newly diagnosed with HIV, starting treatment is important for several reasons. People with HIV who achieve and maintain viral suppression experience slower disease progression, enjoy better overall health and are less likely to develop opportunistic illnesses. What’s more, people with an undetectable viral load don’t transmit HIV to others through sex. This is known as treatment as prevention, or Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U).
Weather Update! Our first annual HIV Testing Day Block Party in Utica is moving to Monday, June 29th, 3–6pm! Join us for free testing, food, games, music, and more—now with sunnier skies ahead! See you at 500 Plant St! #HIVTestingDay #UticaEvents #StayHealthy
[image or embed]
— ACR Health (@acrhealth.bsky.social) June 24, 2026 at 12:20 PM
AIDSVu.org, which presents HIV data in searchable maps and sharable infographics, offers the following additional information about National HIV Testing Day:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care, yet in 2024, only 40% of Americans reported ever being tested for HIV.
HIV testing is available through a variety of options, including healthcare providers, community testing sites, and at-home HIV self-tests, making it easier than ever to know your status. Early diagnosis is essential for improving health outcomes and reducing transmission, but many people living with HIV remain unaware they have it. In fact, an estimated 1 in 7 people living with HIV in the United States do not know their status.
Despite continued progress, opportunities for earlier diagnosis remain. Among the 38,434 people aged 13 years and older diagnosed with HIV in the United States in 2024, 22% received a stage 3 (AIDS) classification at diagnosis, reflecting missed opportunities for earlier testing and linkage to care. Continued investment in HIV testing, surveillance, and equitable access to services remains essential to improving outcomes and advancing efforts to end the HIV epidemic.
AIDSVu also notes that “specific populations require more frequent or targeted screening based on ongoing risk factors.” Related data show that:
- In 2024, women (41%) were slightly more likely to have been tested for HIV compared to men (39%).
- In 2024, Black individuals had the highest rates of HIV testing (58%) among all races/ethnicities, compared with 45% of Latinos and 36% of white people.
Of note, in 2024, Black Americans accounted for 39% of new HIV diagnoses in 2024 and made up 12% of the population, while Latinos constituted 34% of new HIV diagnoses and 19% of the U.S. population. White individuals comprised 21% of new diagnosis.
Also be sure to visit the POZ Basics on HIV Testing. It reads in part:
If you think you might have been exposed to HIV, it’s important to get tested promptly. If you test positive, starting antiretroviral treatment quickly will minimize damage to your immune system and reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others.
According to the CDC there are about 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States. The CDC estimates that around 14% of people with HIV do not know they carry the virus, and nearly 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who don’t know their status.…
When it comes to HIV testing, the old cliché “knowledge is power” still holds true. Knowing your HIV status, whether negative or positive, puts you in the best position to protect your health and the health of your sexual partners. While there is no cure for HIV or AIDS, effective medications allow HIV-positive people to live a normal, healthy life. Being aware of your HIV status makes it less likely that you will pass the virus to others, both because you and your partners can take precautions and because effective treatment prevents transmission.…
You may be at higher risk if:
• You are a man who has had sex with other men.
• You have had unprotected anal or vaginal sex with someone who is living with HIV.
• You have had more than one sex partner.
• You have shared needles or syringes to inject drugs (including steroids or hormones).
• You have gotten a body piercing or tattoo using unsterilized equipment.
• You have exchanged sex for money, food, shelter or drugs.
• You have been diagnosed with or sought treatment for a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as gonorrhea or syphilis.
• You have been diagnosed with or sought treatment for viral hepatitis or tuberculosis.
• You have had sex with someone who fits any of the above descriptions or whose sexual history you don’t know.
Click here to learn more about 2026 HIV and AIDS awareness days and for a printable poster.
