The Brown & White

The Health Center announced that it's looking into providing the HIV saliva rapid test for students, after free blood testing for the virus stopped being available due to budget costs.

While the blood test is the most accurate option, offering the saliva test is a much better choice than no test at all. Even though the test is more expensive than other in-house tests, and pre- and post-test counseling would be required, this is a move that the Health Center must make.

St. Luke's Hospital provided the test twice a month for free last spring, but had to stop the service because of funding problems. Forty students took advantage of the testing, an encouraging number that nevertheless should have been higher.

There's a stigma associated with getting tested for HIV that dissuades students from signing up, whether it be because they think it's embarrassing or they are invincible. But getting tested for HIV isn't the same as getting tested for a sexually transmitted infection. Those infections are generally treatable. HIV isn't, but if caught early, it can be weakened and those with the virus can see their lives prolonged for years.

If you're sure you don't have the virus, and you could never be afflicted with it, what's the downside of getting tested? It's better to be safe than sorry. And there's nothing easier than getting swabbed for ten seconds.

The Health Services refer students to the Bethlehem Health Bureau Wellness Center for free HIV testing, but it's essential that Lehigh makes testing available on its own campus. More students would be tested, especially freshmen, many of which wouldn't be able to travel off-campus without cars.

Opening up the budget to allow for better health and safety on campus is necessary. Someone's life could depend on it.