Aotearoa is at COVID-19 Alert Level 2 (with Auckland at Level 3) - get more info on how this affects our services
Please test for HIV and other STIs before having sex outside your bubbles in level 2. We can break the chain of transmission for more than one epidemic with this lockdown.
Click here to order an HIV home test or find your closest testing centre for quick, easy and confidential HIV & STI tests.
Testing is one of the most important things you can do to help end HIV transmissions in New Zealand. Most new HIV transmissions occur when people don’t know they are living with HIV and aren’t on treatment.
To find out how often you should be testing use our tool to get a recommendation, and sign up to let us slide into your DMs to be reminded when it’s time for your next test.
Plus, it’s free if you meet the criteria – head to our Get a Test page to find out more, order a home test or make an appointment for a quick, easy and confidential test.
Once tested, if you find your result is positive, start treatment as soon as possible. This is the best thing you can do for your own health and the health of your community. The sooner you start to treat, the sooner you can get on top of HIV. Once on treatment, most people are able to reach an undetectable viral loadwithin six months, which means there is no risk of passing on HIV during sex - even if condoms aren't used.
What do I need to know about testing with NZAF/Ending HIV?
Window period
The window period is what we call the time when HIV may be present in your system but not detectable by certain tests. During this period (usually 4-12 weeks) someone could be highly infectious due to the rapid replication that occurs when first exposed to HIV, and a test would still show they were HIV negative.
This is why a negative result should always be confirmed by a follow-up test around 12 weeks later.
Evidence of HIV can be detected by some tests as early as 2 weeks after exposure, but it may take up to 3 months. Everyone responds differently to the virus. Your peer tester can explain this to you when you come in for an appointment
Rapid tests – finger pricks
In our Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch centres we offer rapid finger-prick tests. No needles are required for the rapid tests – just a quick and painless finger prick. A single drop of blood is placed into the testing device and, depending on the type of appointment, you will have a result in 10 minutes or 60 seconds.
Check out our video guide to getting free HIV and Syphilis rapid tests at NZAF clinics around New Zealand.
You can book your own appointment for a free rapid test with our user-friendly self-booking service.
*Please note that we are no longer providing Hepatitis C testing.
Home tests
On our Get a test page you can also order a home test. Delivered in a discreet package the home test consists of an oral swab (no finger pricks or blood), and results are usually available in 20 minutes.
STI
We can only rapid-test for HIV and syphilis in our clinics, but we can help you take swab samples for other STIs and we send them to a Sexual Health Service (SHS) to run a full STI screening.
If you are already presenting with symptoms of an STI or have been contacted about testing via contact tracing, we cannot test you and will need to refer you to SHS. Please go directly to SHS or your GP if you have STI symptoms or have been contact traced.
A lot of STIs can be prevented by using condoms, but not every time and there are still ways they can be transmitted – so, testing regularly is your best way of reducing the chance of passing them by detecting and treating any STIs early.
NOTE: we are currently in a syphilis epidemic in NZ, you should be testing for syphilis regularly and encouraging partners to do so too.
How often?
You can use our testing frequency tool to find out how often you should be testing, as well as sign up for helpful reminders to keep you on track.
Testing is totally normal and testing regularly is just a good thing to do for your own sexual health and that of your partners and community.
How Often Should I Test?
To maintain good sexual health and to help end HIV, we need to test more frequently. Find out how often you should test.
Are you a man (this includes trans men) who has sex with other men?
Are you a trans woman or gender diverse person who has sex with men?
Are you in a closed, monogamous relationship?
Is your partner living with HIV?
Do you use a condom every time you have penetrative sex?
Do they have an undetectable viral load?
How many sexual partners have you had in the last 6 months?
How many sexual partners have you had in the last 6 months?
Once a year
Based on your answers, you are most likely at low risk of contracting HIV and should be testing for HIV & STIs once a year as part of an annual health check.
If you’re concerned about your personal risk, we would recommend speaking to your doctor and explaining why you think you might be at risk or find a testing service right for you here.
Once a year
Evidence of HIV can sometimes not be detected by a test for up to three months. If you and your partner decide that you no longer want to use condoms or PrEP you will need to be monogamous for at least three months, and then both receive a negative HIV test result.
After this, we'd recommend testing for HIV once a year, as part of an annual health check-up.
We recommend getting an HIV test and a full STI screen once a year.
With regular, consistent condom use it is unlikely that you have contracted HIV. But, other STIs like syphilis and gonorrhoea can still be easily transmitted through oral sex, rimming or even using spit as lube.
We recommend getting an HIV test and a full STI screen every six months.
With regular, consistent condom use it is unlikely that you have contracted HIV. But, other STIs like syphilis and gonorrhoea can still be easily transmitted through oral sex, rimming or even using spit as lube.
Based on your answers, we recommend getting an HIV test and a full STI screen every three months.
With regular, consistent condom use it is unlikely that you have contracted HIV. But, other STIs like syphilis and gonorrhoea can still be easily transmitted through oral sex, rimming or even using spit as lube.
As you struggle with consistent condom use, you should consider taking PrEP to stay safe.
Testing elsewhere?
GPs, hospitals and most sexual health clinics don’t do rapid HIV testing. Expect a standard HIV test if you go to one of these places. As with many other blood tests, blood will be drawn into a vial and sent to a lab for processing. You will usually wait 5 to 7 working days to receive your results from a standard HIV test. If your doctor is not aware that you are having anal sex with guys, it will be important to specifically ask for HIV to be included as part of a sexual health screening test.
Positive result
Everyone responds to a positive test result in their own way - there is no right or wrong way to handle the news. The first thing that will happen is you will be referred on to specialist care who will run a test to confirm your result and give you your diagnosis.
It’s important to take a deep breath and remember these things that might help in this moment:
You are not going to die. In Aotearoa, you can be connected to free treatment as soon as possible – likely the same day.
Today’s treatments mean that HIV is a manageable condition and your life expectancy is the same as an HIV-negative person.
Starting HIV treatment as early as possible increases your chances of getting the most health benefits from your medication.
Most people on effective treatment get to what is called anundetectable viral load – which means HIV cannot be passed on sexually.
There is support available to help you come to terms with a positive result, answer any questions you may have, as well as help you to navigate the health system and life with HIV.
Is an HIV test done through a GP 100% accurate? Is it the same as a rapid test that NZAF does?
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GPs do not offer rapid tests. They send people off to a lab and blood is taken there. People then have to wait a few days for results, but these tests are 100% accurate. Our rapid HIV tests are 100% sensitive to HIV, they are FDA approved and 98.9% specific to antibodies, and you will get your result in a few minutes.
How long does an HIV test take and when can I get the test results? I had sex without a condom a few weeks ago and I'm really worried.
Keep in mind evidence of HIV can be detected by some tests as early as 2 weeks after exposure, but it may take up to 3 months. Everyone responds differently to the virus.
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