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The world-renowned UCLA AIDS Institute is not sitting idly today as it hosts a wide range of events for World AIDS Day. AIDS and HIV are persistent concerns, and UCLA students shouldn’t think they are free from risk.

The UCLA AIDS Institute estimates that as many as 30 UCLA students are HIV positive but do not yet know it. Even if you aren’t interested in actively joining the fight against HIV/AIDS, it’s worth getting yourself tested.

So, to raise awareness and perhaps save lives, the UCLA AIDS Institute is bringing mobile testing clinics to Bruin Plaza. Today, students will have a chance to get free HIV testing using a method which delivers results in only 20 minutes.

Students take the test via a small prick which draws a few drops of blood. Or, for those shy around needles, the new test allows saliva to be used instead.

Students should take the opportunity to get tested, even if they are almost sure they are not HIV positive. It’s painless, it’s accurate, and it will help soothe lingering fears about STD testing in general. Considering the seriousness of an HIV infection, there is no reason to avoid this simple test.

AIDS and HIV are more prevalent than many people think – it is not a disease that only affects gay men or people in Africa.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control estimated about 900,000 people in the United States had an HIV infection in 2002. Of those, about one-quarter are believed not to know they are infected. The CDC also estimates about 40,000 new infections occur each year – most of them among people under the age of 25. Over 500,000 people with AIDS have died.

If about one million people have HIV/AIDS nationwide, that means more than one out of every 300 people is infected. Here on the UCLA campus, that would translate into nearly 170 cases.

Although 170 cases might not seem like a big number when considering a campus population of 50,000, it’s worth knowing if you or your partner are part of that statistic.

And for students who miss the opportunity to get tested today, the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center is always available. For a nominal fee of $10 or less, students can get tested for sexually transmitted infections right on campus – with a full guarantee of confidentiality. The Ashe Center estimates that about 10 students use its testing service every day.

(As important as AIDS is, it is not the only STD that can affect UCLA students. The Ashe Center testing can check for several diseases.)

Participating in the fight against HIV/AIDS can take many forms – some students are actively working to educate, fundraise and research – but not everyone can be expected to devote their lives to the cause. For today at least, all students can participate in World AIDS Day by getting tested in Bruin Plaza and attending the multitude of events the UCLA AIDS Institute is hosting around campus.

Tackling the epidemic will require local action and global concern. Doing what you can, even if it’s just getting yourself tested, is the only way to make progress.