In recognition of World AIDS Day, Loretto Hospital announced it will offer free Rapid HIV testing on Thursdays throughout the month of December. No appointments are necessary and walk-ins are welcome between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Outpatient Services on the sixth floor of the hospital. Testing is strictly confidential. According to the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) HIV/STI Data Report released last October, Austin had the second highest number of new HIV infection diagnoses of all Chicago neighborhoods in 2020. While the total number of Chicagoans diagnosed with HIV or AIDS was the lowest in four decades, non-Hispanic Blacks represented a disproportionate 50 percent of all new cases. The viral suppression rate among Austin residents diagnosed with HIV was 54 percent as opposed to 60 percent citywide. Free HIV screenings are available to uninsured or underinsured residents of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood and surrounding west side communities. For more information, call at 833-TLH-LOVE or visit https://www.lorettohospital.org.