AIDS Awareness Week kicked off Monday with speakers from the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Services.

Emily Tsuchida, nurse practioner, said there are at least 2,000 people walking around Sacramento unaware they have a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Tsuchida said HIV is just like the common cold, but with no known cure. The virus enters the body through sexual and blood contacts. Most people are exposed to HIV through sex and drug use.

“A person looking healthy does not mean that person is not HIV positive,” Tsuchida said. “HIV does not look like anything.”

Tsuchida said people do not die from AIDS. They die from diseases the body can no longer fight off since AIDS lowers the immune system.

Once a person has been diagnosed with HIV, he or she must take medication daily. Skipping a day means the drug may not work the next time since the HIV virus has the ability to change itself and become drug resistant.

Side effects from medication can be itchy skin, headaches and diarrhea. Tsuchida said often people come into the clinic feeling fine, find out they are HIV positive, start taking drugs and end up feeling sick. This only makes it harder for someone to continue taking the drugs.

“It is your responsibility to protect yourself,” Tsuchida said.

Tsuchida said that in the United States, young women are not taught enough to say no to unprotected sex. She said the only way AIDS will become extinct in this country is by not letting AIDS reach the younger generation.

Jonathan Berg, outreach speaker, said 50 percent of people infected with HIV are under the age of 25.

“We all need to talk about it. We have to care enough about ourselves to make safe decisions,” Berg said.

William Morefield, student and volunteer speaker, said that AIDS could happen to anyone. His goal is to reach out to the ‘at risk’ population and educate them about HIV.

There will be free HIV testing today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Valley Suite, University Union and Desmond Hall Recreation Room. The process is a simple mouth swab with results ready in 20 minutes. Individuals with HIV will speak at 3 p.m. on Dec. 3, in 127 Yosemite Hall.

Sally King can be reached at [email protected]