Overview
HIV/AIDS continue to pose significant social, economic and health barriers for people. The fight to end HIV/AIDS involves healthcare providers promptly and effectively screening, reporting and treating new infections and helping out-of-care clients return to services.
Screen for HIV/AIDS
In the United States, 15% of people living with HIV don’t know they have it. Nearly 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who don’t know they have the virus.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 13–64 years old get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care.
- People at increased risk should get tested more frequently, usually every 3–6 months.
Report new cases within 3 business days
Fax a completed confidential HIV/AIDS Adult Case Report to 360-778-6103.
To report other STD/STIs fax the completed Confidential STD Case Report Form to 360-778-6103. For more information visit our STD/STI Information for Providers page. For questions, or more information, call 360-778-6100 Main Call Line – available M-F 8:30am to 4:30pm.
Prevent transmission
- Educate your patients on safe sex practices and contraception.
- Link eligible patients to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
- Screen for additional STDs.
- Advocate for better health and social services for patients at risk of HIV/AIDS.
- Prevent unsafe injection practices in healthcare settings.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
- PrEP for HIV prevention—CDC.
- PrEP for HIV clinical practice guideline—CDC.
- PrEP and PEP for HIV prevention—DOH.
- PrEP Watch: data, research and access.
Resources
- LGBTQIA+ Information for Providers
- Clinician Consultation Center—Consultation on HIV/AIDS-related care questions, University of California San Francisco.
- Clinical guidelines—CDC.
- Prevention guidelines—CDC guidance on PrEP and PEP.
- Testing guidance—DOH.
- Screening guidelines for adults, adolescents and pregnant people—CDC.
- HIV prevention and care for transgender people—CDC.
- Washington state statistics—DOH.
- Efforts to decriminalize HIV—Washington State Board of Health report.
Questions? We can help.
Contact Whatcom County Health and Community Services at 360-778-6100- 360-778-6100 Main Call Line – available M-F 8:30am to 4:30pm.
- Afterhours Answering Service – available after 4:30pm and weekends, call 360-778-6100 and press 2 to be connected to the on-call manager or health officer.
- 360-778-6150 Communicable Disease Report Line – 24 hours a day 7 days a week
- 360-778-6103 Confidential Communicable Disease Fax – 24 hours a day 7 days a week
- 509 Girard Street, Bellingham WA 98225