HIV Testing FAQs

HIV testing is offered BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Monday through Thursday from 9:00AM to 4:00PM and on Monday & Wednesday evenings from 5:00PM to 7:30PM.

For a test appointment please contact Susan Tellier, Prevention Specialist and Testing Coordinator, at (804) 358-6343 ext. 140 or by email [email protected]

To perform the HIV test, we will take an oral fluid sample from your mouth. In some cases, we may opt to do a finger stick test where a small amount of blood is taken from your finger. Only in special circumstances do we offer full blood draw HIV tests.
The test is free and results will be available in 20 minutes. You will know your status before you leave the building. At your request, we will provide your HIV results in writing.
This test is 99.8% accurate. The 6 month window period still applies. It may take up to 6 months after an HIV infection for the HIV antibodies to show up on a test. Depending on your risk status, we may recommend that you get retested in the future. Please read our detailed 6-month window period information below.
Fan Free Clinic offers confidential testing. We will ask you for personal information such as your name, date of birth, address, etc. Your name and your test results are reported to the Virginia Department of Health. This information is not accessible to the general public or insurance agencies.
Your test result may be negative, preliminary positive, or indeterminate. In the event that it is preliminary positive, we require a confirmatory test. This is done by getting another oral sample from you and sending it to a laboratory. It will take approximately 1 week for that result to return and we will make an appointment with you to discuss your final results.
If your result is indeterminate, it means the test did not produce a result. This is no indication of your HIV status. We will perform another test where we may ask you for a small blood sample from your finger.
For those who test positive for HIV, we will make referrals for case management, medical care, and any other service that we can help you to obtain. We also offer partner counseling and referral services. You will not be alone!

The HIV test that is offered at the FFC is an HIV antibody test that looks for HIV antibodies and not the actual virus itself. Everyone’s body is different. After being infected with HIV, some people will immediately begin to produce HIV antibodies that may be detected by an antibody test.

For some people it may take several months after they become infected before the body produces the HIV antibodies that the test will detect. Research has shown that for some people it may take up to 6 months after infection before the HIV antibody test shows up positive. What does this mean for you? Follow this example:

Bob has unprotected sex in JANUARY
Bob gets an HIV test in MARCH. The test result is negative/non-reactive. This may or may not be the most accurate result!
Bob must get retested in JUNE to allow for the 6 month window period.
Between JANUARY and JUNE Bob needs to make sure that he does not have unprotected sex or get exposed in any way to HIV.
Bob gets a follow up HIV test in JUNE. This test is accurate if the last time of possible exposure was in JANUARY.
If Bob has unprotected sex in MARCH, then the 6 month window period will not end until SEPTEMBER.

Each and every time someone is possibly exposed to HIV infection, the 6 month window period begins. If it is possible that you may have been exposed to HIV within the last 6 months, then you may want to consider when you will need to retest. Only you know the date of your last possible exposure. Please keep this in mind when you are determining when you will get retested.

Fan Free Clinic
1010 N. Thompson Street / P.O. Box 6477 / Richmond, VA / 23230
Administration & Social Services (804) 358-6343 / Medical Clinic (804) 358-8538

Digital discoveries