Statistics show African-Americans are much more likely to contract HIV than other racial groups. That is why health professionals are calling on the black community to get tested.
Tuesday is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and organizations across Charlottesville are stepping up to offer free, painless testing. It's one way to reduce the risk of spreading the disease.
Nick Mattsson of the Thomas Jefferson Health District said, "Without access, without having access to these messages it just makes any individual, of course, would be more likely to be at risk for any sort of disease."
The University of Virginia's Ryan White program and the Thomas Jefferson Health District offered free testing Tuesday afternoon. Charlottesville's AIDS Services Group and the United Sisters at UVA also teamed up for free testing.
