Hepatitis Awareness Month: Get Tested, Get Protected

When it comes to your health, knowledge isn’t just power, it’s protection. During Hepatitis Awareness Month, we have a chance to pause, learn, and take simple steps that can make a life-changing difference. Many people live with hepatitis without realizing it, and that silence can come at a cost. The good news is that you can take control with a test, a vaccine, or timely treatment.

Why Hepatitis Awareness Matters

Every May, health organizations across the country spotlight hepatitis, a group of viral infections that affect the liver, including hepatitis A, B, and C. The goal is clear: encourage testing, promote vaccination, and connect people to care.

Hepatitis often progresses quietly. Many people feel perfectly fine for years, even as the virus damages the liver. That gap between infection and awareness drives serious consequences,  including liver disease, cancer, and even death.

The Numbers Behind the Need

Hepatitis remains a significant public health issue in the United States and worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

  • In 2023, the US reported thousands of new hepatitis infections and nearly 2,749 deaths linked to viral hepatitis.
  • An estimated 69,000 new hepatitis C infections occurred in 2023, far above national reduction goals.
  • Globally, hepatitis B and C affect over 300 million people combined and cause about 1.3 million deaths each year.

The numbers tell us that hepatitis continues to impact millions, but prevention and treatment can change that trajectory.

Understanding the Different Types of Hepatitis

Not all hepatitis works the same way, but each type affects the liver in its own way, and some can progress into long-term infections that increase the risk of serious complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis A

  • Spreads through contaminated food or water
  • Often short-term
  • Preventable with a vaccine

Hepatitis B

  • Spreads through blood and bodily fluids
  • Can become chronic
  • Preventable with a vaccine

Hepatitis C

  • Spreads primarily through the blood
  • Often becomes chronic
  • Curable with modern treatments

Medical advances have transformed outcomes, especially for hepatitis C. Today’s treatments cure most people and continue to reduce death rates. 

Who’s at Risk?

You might be at risk for hepatitis and not know it. Risk factors include:

  • Sharing needles or drug equipment
  • Unprotected sex with an infected partner
  • Birth to an infected mother (especially for hepatitis B)
  • Traveling to countries where hepatitis A or B is common
  • Having certain medical conditions like HIV

Take Action: Get Tested and Get Protected

Modern medicine offers incredible protection against these viruses. You can safeguard your future by following three essential steps:

  • Get Vaccinated


Vaccines provide highly effective protection against Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. Medical professionals recommend these shots for infants, children, and adults with specific risk factors. If you missed these vaccinations as a child, your provider can easily help you catch up.

  • Get Tested

Because these viruses often show no symptoms, the CDC now recommends that every adult get tested for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C at least once in their lifetime. Pregnant individuals should also receive screening during every pregnancy to protect their newborns. A simple blood test provides the clarity you need.

  • Seek Treatment

If you test positive, don’t panic. Providers treat Hepatitis B with effective long-term medications that keep the virus in check. 

  • Hepatitis C can be cured with oral medications
  • Hepatitis B can be managed to reduce complications
  • Early care lowers the risk of liver damage and cancer

Take the Next Step Today

Hepatitis Awareness Month isn’t just about information; it’s about taking action.

Here’s where to start:

  • Talk with your healthcare provider about screening
  • Check your vaccination status
  • Encourage loved ones to get tested

It only takes one conversation, one appointment, and one decision. Those small steps can protect your health and the health of those around you.

Break the Stigma, Share the Knowledge

Knowledge serves as our best defense against liver disease. By talking openly about testing and vaccination, we reduce the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help. Encouraging your friends, family members, and colleagues to check their status could save a life.

MyAlly Health provides free rapid hepatitis C testing with a simple fingerstick. The process takes just minutes, requires only a quick poke, and delivers fast, reliable results without a full blood draw.

At MyAlly Health, we offer confidential reproductive health services, physical and mental health screenings, education, counseling, advocacy, and comprehensive healthcare services — all designed to empower and support individuals in their overall health and well-being. Our nurse practitioners and resident physicians proudly serve women and men of all ages in the Grand Forks, North Dakota, area, regardless of income.

Whether you want to learn more about what we do, support our mission, or schedule an appointment, we’re here to help you take charge of your health.