Whitman-Walker provides HIV testing through its GMHW Sexual Health Clinic at 1525 and at Max Robinson Center. HIV testing includes a confidential, rapid HIV test and risk-reduction counseling. The counseling provides clients with education on their options for having safer sex.

Whitman-Walker uses the OraQuick HIV-1/HIV-2 Antibody Test and results take 20 minutes. The OraQuick test finds the antibodies your immune system would create to fight HIV if you were exposed to the virus and became positive. The GMHW Sexual Health Clinic also offers an optional 4th generation test for a fee. The 4th generation test finds HIV antibodies and p24 antigens, which are the viral proteins that make up the core of HIV.

The INSTI and OraQuick tests have different window periods than the 4th generation HIV test. This is the period of time between someone having an exposure to HIV and becoming positive, and the amount of time the INSTI, OraQuick or 4th generation test needs to confirm a positive HIV test result. During the window period, an HIV test can wrongly deliver a negative HIV test result even if the person is actually positive. The window period for the INSTI or OraQuick tests is anywhere from 22 days to 3 months. The window period for the 4th generation HIV test is anywhere from 18 to 45 days.

Whitman-Walker offers rapid HIV testing for free and the 4th generation HIV test for a $20 fee at the evening Clinic only. Learn more about HIV testing, hours and registration for Whitman-Walker’s GMHW Sexual Health Clinic here.