For the second consecutive year, the WCU Office of Wellness Education and the WCU Women’s Center are sponsoring a free testing day for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on Monday, April 16. Last year, “Chlamydia Testing Day” was held on campus in April, and over 200 students attended to get tested for Chlamydia.
Get Yourself Tested (GYT) is a national campaign to inform young people about STIs and to encourage them to routinely get tested for STIs. GYT was developed as part of a larger campaign called “It’s Your (Sex) Life,” which was founded in 1997 by MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation to support young individuals in making responsible decisions about their sexual health.
This year at GYT Day, testing will be done for the STIs Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STI in the United States, and it is the most commonly reported STI at WCU and in Chester County. There are about 2 million new cases of Chlamydia every year. Gonorrhea is also a common STI, and there are about 700,000 new cases reported every year. Both of these STIs are most prevalent in young people under the age of 25, and there are often no symptoms with these infections, which emphasizes the importance of getting tested.
GYT Day provides free Chlamydia and Gonorrhea testing for WCU students only. No appointments are necessary. Students will be tested for these infections through urine samples. The results are confidential, and they will not be given at the event. Results typically will be available in 1-3 weeks. If a student’s results are positive, a nurse or nurse practitioner will call the student to report the results. If planning to be tested, students should not urinate for one hour before attending the event.
If a student cannot attend the event, he or she can be tested at the WCU Health Center. There is a $10 visit fee for all appointments at the Health Center.
WCU’s Get Yourself Tested Day is on Monday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Sykes Student Union Ballrooms. The first 200 students to get tested will receive a free tshirt.
Carol Fritz is a third-year student majoring in communication studies. She can be reached at CF716022@wcupa.edu.