Prince Harry is encouraging HIV testing by recording himself undergoing the procedure live on Facebook. The British royal went on a trip to Guys and St. Thomas' Hospital in London this week to demonstrate how easy and quick it is to get tested for HIV.
The video was posted on The Royal Family's official Facebook page. Watch it below.
Prince Harry underwent the simple one-minute HIV test procedure, which involves pricking a finger for a drop of blood. The blood will then be examined for being reactive or non-reactive right then and there for instant results, according to The Huffington Post.
Prince Harry admitted that he was nervous prior to the procedure. Though he seemed relieved when his test came out negative and that he doesn't carry the virus, which can be acquired from an infected person's semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk, and blood.
HIV Basic Statistics
The three types of HIV tests available for people are antibody tests, combination or fourth-generation tests, and nucleic acid tests (NAT), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed. An HIV test uses a person's blood, oral fluid, or urine to determine whether they carry the disease.
Around 36.9 million people worldwide have HIV and as of June 2015, only 15.8 million receive treatments called antiretroviral therapy, or ART. Regions that suffer the biggest cases of HIV are the Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Anti-HIV Influencers
Other famous personalities are also working on promoting and breaking the stigma that surrounds HIV testing. That includes reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, who visited Apicha Community Health Center in New York City last month for a public HIV test.
Prince Harry, 31, said HIV tests allow people to "enjoy a good healthy sex life, enjoy working [and] enjoy retirement." The Kensington Palace tweeted that the prince will meet anti-HIV advocates this week, and will visit Durban, South Africa on Wednesday, July 20 for the 21st International AIDS Conference.
According to AIDS.gov, early HIV testing can help a person manage the disease better through antiretroviral drugs and a healthy lifestyle. With early prevention, HIV will not have a chance to progress to the more life-threatening AIDS, which is the most advanced stage of the disease.
Look for a testing location near you by visiting gettested.cdc.gov. Enter your zip code on the site or call 1-800-CDC-Info.
