CHICAGO (CBS) — It’s a virus 100 times more infectious than HIV, that
can live for a week outside the body on razors and toothbrushes, that
destroys the liver through cirrhosis and cancer, and doctors and
patients may not even realize it’s there until it kills the host, and
infects others.
It’s this insidious nature of viral hepatitis that has healthcare
workers nationwide urging people to take advantage of the free blood
tests on Monday, May 19th –National Hepatitis Testing Day.
Hepatitis B and C affects Baby Boomers, Asian and Pacific Islanders
at higher rates than other groups, and globally, 160 million people are
currently infected, with 3-4 million new infections every year. In
America, one in every 12 Asian Americans has chronic Hepatitis B and
patients may not even know they have it until it’s too late.
The San Francisco-based Asian Week Foundation
is working with the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable to organize the
testing efforts in San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, and
New York.
Free testing is available in Chicago on a rotating basis in May at these locations:
Read more... Labels: Chicago, free testing