Normandy results expected soon but will remain confidential
By Sandra Jordan Of the St. Louis American
The HIV scare at Normandy High School apparently has prompted an increase in HIV testing at area health organizations.
Planned Parenthood in St. Louis reported testing at least a dozen young people on the first day of its offer of free HIV testing for high school students at any of its six St. Louis area locations through the end of November.
“We actually saw a big influx of high school students since everything started hitting the news, and it wasn’t just from Normandy n there were students from all over the area,” Erin Meyer, public relations and media coordinator for Planned Parenthood, said.
“So once this HIV story kind of broke we’ve seen an increase of high school students coming to our clinic for HIV testing in general.”
Staff at the Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers, reports increased call volume about HIV testing from “young-sounding voices.” Its clinics located on Delmar and on West. Florissant in North St. Louis County report increases in HIV testing.
“We are seeing a two or threefold increase in pediatric HIV testing,” CEO Dwayne Butler said. All three People’s Health Clinics offer free testing for HIV.
The St. Louis County Health Department conducted onsite testing at the high school after the probe of one confirmed positive test for HIV led investigators to Normandy Senior High, where they said up to 50 students may have been exposed to the virus that causes AIDS.
School administrators at Normandy and the Health Department worked collaboratively to make sure the onsite tests conducted last week maintained confidentiality. Superintendent Stanton Lawrence said all 1,200 students spent four minutes in a testing station that had separate entrance and exits.
“The only persons manning those stations are the St. Louis County Department of Health,” Lawrence said.
County Health Director Dr. Delores Gunn said complete test results were expected in seven to 10 days.
Students who chose not to take the test at school or who have changed their minds and want to test can contact the St. Louis County Health Department directly at 314-615-1630.
The health department also set up a hotline for Normandy, along with “an aggressive educational campaign for the students, parents and staff of the school.”
For reasons of confidentiality, the Health Department said it will not disclose method(s) of potential HIV transmission being investigated in the Normandy situation; however, it does want to shut down a rumor involving tattoo parlors.
A statement by the Health Department reads:
“No information it has obtained during the course of the investigation indicates that tattoos, the receiving of tattoos, or any particular tattoo business has played any role in this case of potential HIV transmission.
Free HIV testing sites
St. Louis City
Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Center
5701 Delmar Blvd. St. Louis – 63112
314-367-7848
Family Care Health Centers
401 Holly Hills Ave, St Louis – 63111
314-353-5190
4352 Manchester Ave (Forest Park), St Louis – 63110
314-531-5444
Grace Hill Neighborhood Health Centers(Free or Sliding Scale)
2220 Lemp, St. Louis – 63104
314-814-8680
3400 South Jefferson Avenue Saint Louis – 63118
314-577-6232
1717 Biddle, St. Louis – 63106
314-814-8585
800 North Tucker Boulevard, Saint Louis – 63101
314-802-0711
4308 North Grand Boulevard, Saint Louis – 63107
314-898-1717
ConnectCare
Metropolitan St. Louis AIDS program (Metro AIDS)
5535 Delmar Suite 203, St. Louis – 63112
314-879-6468
Metropolitan Center for
HIV/STD & Hepatitis Services
634 N Grand Blvd. Ste. 444, St. Louis – 63103
Phone 314-612-5188
Planned Parenthood
4251 Forest Park St. Louis – 63108
314-531-7526
3401 S. Grand, St. Louis n 63118
314-865-1850
Project ARK
4169 Laclede Ave Ste 300, St Louis – 63108
314-535-7275
St. Louis Effort for AIDS
1027 Vandeventer Suite 700, St. Louis – 63110
Phone 314-754-0112
St. Louis County
Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers
11642 W. Florissant Ave, Florissant – 63033
314-838-8220
7220 Manchester Rd., Maplewood – 63143
314-781-9162
North Central Community Health Center
4000 Jennings Station Rd., Pine Lawn – 63141
314-679-7882, 314-679-7924 or 314-679-7812
John C. Murphy Health Center
6065 Helen Ave. Berkeley 63134
(Located at the corner of Hanley & Airport Rd.)
Call for appointment at 314-522-6410 ext. 6061
Planned Parenthood
2796-98 N. Highway 67, Florissant n 63033
314-921-4445
#1 Stonegate Center, Manchester – 63088
636-431-0030
St. Charles County
Planned Parenthood
208 Mid Rivers Mall Center Dr., St. Peters – 63376
636-279-3339
St. Charles County Dept. Community Health
1650 Boone’s Lick Rd. St. Charles 63301
(HIV test is $10 or less, depending on income)
636-949-7400 x.6
Illlinois nMetro East
Adult Care Center
6010 Bond Avenue Centreville, Ill. – 62207
618-337-8153
Bethany Place
821 E. A St., Belleville, IL 62220
618-234-0291
East Side Health District (Ill. Health Dept.)
638 North 20th Street, East St. Louis, Ill. – 62205
618-874-4713 x218
Planned Parenthood
4529 N. Illinois, Belleville, Ill. 62226
618-277-6668