Western University has broken a world record in an effort to raise awareness about screening and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI).
The university screened 813 people for STIs in a single day at Western’s University Community Centre, topping the previous record of 767 set in 2013 on Valentine’s Day in Basingstoke, England.
The screening, conducted by the Middlesex-London Health Unit, took 12 hours and wrapped up just after 9pm on Wednesday.
The record will not be recognized officially by Guinness World Records, but the health unit says the event helps to eliminate concerns surrounding STI screenings, and highlight how easy getting tested actually is.
“Getting tested for an STI is as simple as peeing in a cup, so even though people may have an initial mental hurdle to clear, they realize pretty quickly there’s nothing to it,” says Chris Blain, health promoter with the health unit’s Sexual Health Team. “This event really encourages participation and brings a sense of competition to what is a really important issue that a lot of post-secondary students might not otherwise consider. It’s a clear win if we can have some fun, while making sure people get the information they need to stay healthy.”
The health unit offers free and anonymous STI testing at its sexual health clinic at 50 King St. Anyone can drop in on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30pm to 7pm, and Fridays from 8:30am to 10:30am.
For more information, visit the health unit's website by clicking here.