HIV Testing dropped Sharply among Key Groups during First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic

New CDC data published ahead of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 2022, show a sharp decrease in the number of CDC-funded HIV tests administered in health care and non-health-care settings, 43% and 50%, respectively, from 2019 to 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. These concerning drops were seen among groups disproportionately affected by HIV, highlighting the urgent need to scale up testing and reduce disparities among the people who could most benefit from HIV prevention and care.  In non-health-care settings, where people who get tested for HIV provide information about race, ethnicity, and transmission, reported HIV testing declined 49% among gay and bisexual men, 47% among transgender people, 46% among Hispanic and Latino people, and 44% among Black people.  To compensate for HIV testing and diagnoses missed during the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC encourages partnerships between state and local health departments, community-based organizations, and health care systems to increase access to HIV testing services, including strategies such as self-testing and routine opt-out screening in health care settings.  HIV testing is the bridge to highly effective treatment and prevention. Delayed diagnoses can lead to negative health consequences and increased HIV transmission. CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once and that some people get tested at least annually.