Last week was HIV AIDS Awareness Week, Saturday was World Aids Day and this week is Aboriginal HIV AIDS Awareness Week.  The local Play It Safer Network has been providing information to the community and the committee’s Tara Dutcawich explains the theme this year is Know Your Status the importance of being tested and knowing your HIV status.  She says the message is they want people to know that HIV is a preventable virus and that there are things that we can do to prevent transmission of HIV even if you are HIV positive, for example taking your medications every day.  She adds you can’t tell by looking at someone whether they have HIV or not so you really need to go and get tested and find out your status so they’re really trying to normalize HIV testing as a part of taking care of your sexual health so feel free to talk to your family doctor or come to the Public Health office and a Public Health Nurse can test you.

The Play it Safer Network is a community based committee made up of health care professionals, service providers, school representatives, community members and youth.