Three West Valley Walgreens locations will be added as community test sites for Get Tested Coachella Valley this month.
Beginning this month, free HIV tests will be available at seven Walgreens locations across the Coachella Valley as Get Tested Coachella Valley extends and expands its testing agreement with the leading national drugstore chain.
On a local level, Walgreens is one of the more than 50 community partners driving the Get Tested Coachella Valley public health initiative. Since summer 2014, Get Tested Coachella Valley has offered free HIV tests on a walk-in basis at four Walgreens locations in Indio and Coachella. The additional three testing locations are in Palm Springs and Palm Desert.
“Walgreens provides a safe and familiar environment where members of the local community can feel just as comfortable requesting an HIV test as they do a flu shot ,” says Susan Unger, Project Director of Get Tested Coachella Valley. “The addition of these three new Walgreens locations will make free and confidential HIV testing even more convenient and accessible to everyone throughout the Coachella Valley.”
Get Tested Coachella Valley’s test counselors use an oral swab test that is quick, easy and pain-free, with results in just 20 minutes. Testing and counseling are provided in a private and confidential setting.
Starting this month, HIV testing will be available on an ongoing basis at the following Walgreens locations:
· 1700 E. Vista Chino (at Sunrise), Palm Springs: Saturdays, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
· 2465 E. Palm Canyon Dr. (at Farrell), Palm Springs: Mondays, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
· 78218 Varner Rd., Palm Desert: First Tuesday of the month, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In addition, HIV testing will continue to be offered at the following Walgreens locations:
· 80925 Highway 111, Indio: Tuesdays, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
· 82955 Avenue 48, Indio: Wednesdays, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
· 50040 Harrison St., Coachella: Fridays, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
· 82900 Avenue 42, Indio: Saturdays, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Get Tested Coachella Valley offers free and confidential HIV testing at locations throughout the Coachella Valley. For a full list of locations, visit gettestedcoachellavalley.org community-test-sites.
Get Tested Coachella Valley is a three-year, $5 million public health initiative dedicated to dramatically reducing HIV infections by making voluntary HIV testing a standard and routine medical practice and ensuring linkage to care. The campaign was launched in 2014 under the leadership of Desert AIDS Project and is driven by a coalition of more than 50 Community Partners including the Riverside County Department of Public Health; the region’s major hospitals; elected officials; and leaders of community- and faith-based organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and foundations. Additional information and resources are offered in both English and Spanish at www.gettestedcoachellavalley.org and www.haztelapruebavalledecoachella.org.
