Norwalk Health Department Offers Free Hepatitis C Screenings

In an effort to raise awareness about Hepatitis C, the Norwalk Health Department will offer free Hepatitis C testing from May 21 - May 25 during the following times: Monday, May 21 from 2:00 - 4:30pm, Tuesday, May 22 from 9:00am - 4:30pm, Wednesday, May 23 from 9:00 - 11:00am, Thursday, May 24 from 9:00am - 4:30pm, and Friday, May 25 from 9:00am - 4:30pm. No appointment is necessary.

Hepatitis C is a serious local and national public health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 34,000 new Hepatitis C infections occur every year in the United States, and Hepatitis C infections are increasing most rapidly among young people, with the highest number of new infections occurring in people ages 20 to 29. People of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures can be infected with the Hepatitis C virus. Testing is particularly important because Hepatitis C infections often have no signs or symptoms. With early detection, Hepatitis C can be treated and the risk for major complications, including scarring of the liver and liver cancer, can be reduced. In addition to free testing during Hepatitis Awareness Month, the Health Department offers a walk-in sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic every Monday and Friday morning from 9:00am to 11:30am and on Wednesday afternoons from 3:00pm to 5:30pm. No appointment is necessary, and the fee is $10.

Rapid and conventional HIV testing is also available at these times. For more information about the services offered at the Norwalk Health Department, please call (203) 854-7776 or visit www.norwalkhealth.com. About the Norwalk Department of Health: Under the direction of the mayor, and with valuable guidance from its six-member Board of Health, the Norwalk Health Department provides a variety of services and programs to fulfill its mission: to prevent and control the spread of disease, promote a healthy environment, and protect the quality of life within its changing community. The Health Department achieved accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) in June 2014, demonstrating that it meets or exceeds national public health standards and commits to continuously improve the quality of the services it delivers. More information is available at www.norwalkhealth.com.