Science, Health and Technology

The University of Missouri Student Health Center offers free sexually transmitted infection testing Wednesday and Thursday as part of an education campaign called “GYT.”

“Get Yourself Tested,” or GYT, is a national campaign to promote STI testing for college students.  At MU, the Wednesday and Thursday event dubbed “MIZ-GYT” offers free HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea tests.   

Libby Hicks, a graduate assistant at the Student Health Center, said part of the program is to reduce the stigma of getting tested. 

Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control announced a nationwide shortage of TUBERSOL, a product needed for tuberculosis skin testing.

According to the alert, TUBERSOL manufactures notified the CDC that 50 dose vials of TUBERSOL were unavailable and 10 dose vials were limited.

On Wednesday, the City of Columbia announced the shortage in a press release.

At only 17 cents per cigarette pack, Missouri has the lowest tax for tobacco in the U.S. In 2012, Missouri voters said no to increasing that tax to 90 cents per pack. Missouri is also one of 14 states that don't have some sort of a statewide ban on smoking in non-hospitality workplaces, and/or restaurants, and/or bars. All of this adds up to the Show-Me State's top spot as the freest state in the nation when it comes to tobacco. 

But since 2007, about two dozen municipalities in Missouri have enacted a comprehensive smoking ban in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. This Monday, rural Washington, Mo., joins that list. The City Council voted to pass the ordinance to ban smoking back in January. 

The Community Health Center of Central Missouri is set to provide dental services at a new clinic in Callaway County next month. The new Fulton clinic is one of four of the center’s branches. CEO Don Holloman said the organization decided to extend its services to Fulton after an assessment revealed there is a growing population of people in the area without access to dental care.