HIV screening

For HIV screenings, MinuteClinic providers will order and conduct laboratory testing and refer you to a specialist for further evaluation and treatment if needed.

If your antigen/antibody test comes back with a negative result, you can talk to your provider about defending yourself against HIV through available prevention methods. Your MinuteClinic provider can help you with two types of HIV prevention measures:

• PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis): For people who are at substantial risk of exposure to HIV. To receive the HIV PrEP, you must test negative for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
• nPEP (non-occupational Post Exposure Prophylaxis): For people who were exposed to HIV in the past 72 hours, nPEP is an emergency measure. It’s not intended for regular use by persons who may have frequent HIV exposure. You do not need to test negative for HIV, and you can receive an nPEP prescription immediately. 

If your test comes back with a positive result, your provider can talk to you about next steps. This includes referring you to a specialist of your choice for further treatment.

1. Prior to scheduling your appointment, you may have to answer a few questions about symptoms to help us prepare for your visit.

2. Check-in varies depending on how you scheduled your appointment:



If you made your appointment online:

Check in using the email or text message we sent to confirm your appointment. If you prefer to check in using the electronic kiosk, make sure you have your confirmation code.



If you made your appointment in the clinic:

Sign in at the electronic kiosk.

3. When it's time for your appointment, a provider will call your name.

4. Your provider will conduct a thorough examination based on your reason for visit, presenting symptoms and health history. Charges will be based on examination and services provided during the visit.

5. At the end of your visit, you are provided with a visit summary, receipt and educational material about your diagnosis. At your request, we can send your primary care provider information about your visit.

Since there is a window period between the time of infection and when a test can detect HIV, it is recommended that you get a test between two to six weeks after exposure. If you would like to receive post-HIV exposure prophylaxis as an emergency measure for a recent exposure, you should visit MinuteClinic immediately after exposure.

HIV is transmitted through body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk. A person is at risk of infection if they have unprotected sex or share needles with someone who has HIV. A mother can also pass the virus to a baby during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

You can't get HIV through saliva, sweat or tears. You can shake hands, share food and kiss a person with HIV without being exposed to the virus. HIV doesn't live for long outside the human body, so you can't get HIV from surfaces or the air.

If you think there’s a chance that you’ve been exposed to HIV, you should get an HIV test as soon as possible. No test can detect HIV immediately upon infection. There is a time frame, known as the window period, between HIV entering the body and when a test can detect it. HIV tests can typically detect the virus two to six weeks after exposure. However, it may take up to six months to detect. You should consider the window period when scheduling an HIV test. MinuteClinic® also offers pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis services to patients who have recently been exposed to HIV.

An HIV screening test can also be part of your routine health care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone between ages 13 and 64 get an HIV screening at least once. At MinuteClinic®, we can only test those over the age of 18. Those at a higher risk should be tested at least once per year.

Free HIV tests may also be available for those who need them. You can visit the CDC’s Get Tested website to find free, fast, confidential testing sites in your local community and learn more about HIV, STI/STD and hepatitis testing. 

MinuteClinic® offers the following HIV screening blood test:

• Antigen/antibody test: This test is used to look for both HIV antibodies and antigens. Antigens are foreign substances that cause your immune system to activate. If you have HIV, an antigen called p24 is produced even before antibodies develop. During this test, a provider will draw blood from your vein into a tube and send it to a laboratory for testing. It can take several days for the results. In some cases, you may be sent to a laboratory to have your blood drawn.

Other types of tests include:

• HIV antibody tests: These look for HIV antibodies in your body rather than the virus itself. Antibodies are produced by your immune system when you’re exposed to the virus. This test can be performed in either a lab or at home with a self-test kit. Most rapid HIV tests and self-tests are antibody tests.
• NATs: Nucleic acid tests look for the actual virus in the blood. The test can tell if a person has HIV, and if so, how much of the virus is present in the blood. These are typically used if you have had exposure and have early symptoms of HIV infection.

The The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends yearly testing for those who have a higher risk of contracting HIV. You have a higher risk if you:

• Have unprotected sex
• Share needles or other drug injection equipment
• Have had sex with a partner who is HIV positive
• Have another sexually transmitted infection (STI, sometimes known as a sexually transmitted disease or STD), hepatitis or tuberculosis (TB)

If you frequently have unprotected sex or share needles, you should consider more regular testing (every three to six months).

There's no cure for HIV, but the infection can be effectively managed with medication. Your provider can prescribe a treatment known as antiretroviral therapy (ART). While you can't fully eliminate HIV from your body, ART can help reduce the amount of the virus in your system. It's possible to suppress HIV so it's undetectable, but you need to continue taking your medication as prescribed.