Press release from Buncombe County:
As Pride celebrations kick off in Buncombe County, Buncombe County Health and Human Services celebrates inclusivity and highlights the importance of taking care of yourself and others. Services to support everyone’s reproductive health are available right here in Buncombe County for anyone seeking more information about reproductive health, testing, treatment, and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates millions of new sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the U.S. every year. While anyone who is sexually active can get an STI, some groups are more affected. These include adolescents and young adults, gays, bisexuals, and other men who have sex with men, pregnant women and infants, and racial and ethnic minorities.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Take Pride Now health promotion program encourages people to prioritize their sexual health by engaging in safer sex practices, learning more about STIs and how to prevent them, getting tested, and getting vaccinated against mpox, if eligible.
To help promote awareness and connection to resources at the local level, look for more detailed information from Buncombe County on our website and social media about STIs including:
-Steps to take to prevent STIs
-Recommended STI vaccines
-What to do after a positive STI test
-Details on mpox and how to prevent transmissionIn addition, we would like to highlight our clinic and community resources that are available to anyone seeking more information, tests, and treatment. This includes the Buncombe County Public Health STI Testing and Treatment Clinic open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 40 Coxe Ave. in Asheville.
Services offered at the clinic are low or no cost to men, women, transgender, and non-binary individuals. In addition to testing and treatment for various STIs, the clinic offers one-on-one consultations with an expert, free multivitamins, condoms and lube, treatment referrals for HIV, and more.
We encourage everyone to pride themselves in prioritizing their sexual health by getting tested regularly for STIs, getting vaccinated, and having conversations with partners to help reduce stigmas.
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