Free HIV Test Kits Now Available at 7 Metro Atlanta Walmart Stores – WABE

Metro Atlanta residents can now pick up free HIV test kits at seven area Walmart stores.

Telemedicine provider MISTR is offering test kits while supplies last to combat widespread HIV infections in Georgia, a problem public health officials have called an epidemic for years. Atlanta ranked third in 2022 HIV infection rates among U.S. metropolitan areas and Puerto Rico, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 16% of Georgians with HIV don’t know they have the virus, the agency says.

The epidemic is disproportionately affecting Black and Latino gay and bisexual men. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Black and Latino populations experienced lower viral suppression than white populations in 2022.

“There is an undeniable HIV crisis in Georgia and the resources available are inadequate,” Tristan Schukraft, CEO and founder of MISTR, said in a press release Thursday.

MISTR also offers pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a once-daily HIV prevention pill, through online consultations and at-home lab tests.

“This program addresses the community’s need for care options and increased sexual health education,” Schukraft said of the free test kit program. “I am proud that MISTR continues to democratize access to PrEP, DoxyPEP and long-term HIV care and is stepping up to the plate for these underserved individuals.”

Walmart stores offering test kits are located in Atlanta, Decatur, Ellenwood, Morrow and Stockbridge. The Georgia Department of Health also offers free HIV test kits for pickup or mailing.