Testing for HIV

You can get tested for HIV in various places and in various ways.

At a test centre 

You can talk openly about sexuality and health at a test centre. Tests there are anonymous, easy and often cost less. An HIV test can be performed 15 days after possible exposure. At that time, you can also be tested for other STIs. However, an HIV test can only definitively rule out infection six weeks after sex.

Test centre near you

Clinic/hospital 

You can also get an HIV test at your GP clinic or a hospital. It is important that you are able to talk openly about sex so that the right tests can be performed. If your HIV test is billed through your health insurance, it is not anonymous.

HIV self-test 

Anyone can test themselves for HIV using an HIV self-test. The self-tests sold in Switzerland are easy to use and provide a reliable result. The test kit includes a finger prick with an ultra-thin needle which is used to draw a drop of blood, and a vial in which the drop of blood is then tested. However, an HIV self-test can only detect an infection with certainty 12 weeks (three months) after sex. There are no reliable self-tests for other STIs.