Herpes Awareness Day2026 · Date · History
National Today places Herpes Awareness Day on October 13 annually, and AnydayGuide independently lists National Herpes Awareness Day on October 13.
About Herpes Awareness Day
Herpes Awareness Day is listed for 13 October in the United States in a World Health Organization STI action calendar. Its purpose is to encourage informed, stigma-free conversation about herpes simplex infection and access to reliable care.
It is an awareness observance, not a public holiday, universal screening recommendation, or proof of a particular founding organisation.
Why Herpes Awareness Day matters
Herpes simplex infection is common. People deserve privacy, respectful communication and accurate information without moral judgement.
Awareness should distinguish symptoms, testing indications, transmission reduction and available treatments, following professional and CDC guidance.
History of Herpes Awareness Day
The WHO STI action calendar includes 13 October as a U.S. herpes-awareness day. The reviewed institutional materials do not establish the original founder or exact first annual edition.
CDC guidance states that herpes is treatable but does not currently have a cure, and emphasizes limits of tests and individualized clinical advice.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
8 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
National Herpes Awareness Day
How to Observe Herpes Awareness Day
Read CDC guidance on symptoms, prevention and when to consult a clinician.
Avoid passing along personal disclosures or images without consent.
Do not pressure asymptomatic people into testing; ask clinicians about when testing is appropriate.
Herpes Awareness Day Facts
Date listed in WHO STI action calendar: 13 October (United States).
Type: voluntary sexual-health awareness observance.
CDC does not recommend routine blood-test screening without symptoms in most situations.
Antiviral medicines can reduce symptoms or outbreaks; they are not a cure.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Health Information Not Medical Advice.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
U.S. CDC — about genital herpes (opens in a new tab)
Official Institutional Evidence
U.S. CDC — herpes testing (opens in a new tab)
Official Institutional Evidence
World Health Organization — global STI action calendar (opens in a new tab)
Official Institutional Evidence
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Herpes Awareness Day?
13 October The documented recurrence rule is: 13 October each year..
Does Herpes Awareness Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Herpes Awareness Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / herpes-awareness observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Herpes Awareness Day?
The documented basis is: National Today places Herpes Awareness Day on October 13 annually, and AnydayGuide independently lists National Herpes Awareness Day on October 13.. Supporting evidence includes World Health Organization — global STI action calendar. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is Herpes Awareness Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / herpes-awareness observance.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-08.
When is Herpes Awareness Day?
13 October in the U.S. awareness calendar documented by WHO.
Is it a national public holiday?
No. It is an awareness day.
Should everyone get a herpes blood test?
CDC generally advises against screening asymptomatic people in most situations; consult a clinician about your circumstances.
Can herpes be treated?
Yes. Antiviral medicines can manage outbreaks, although there is no cure.
Other observances on October 13
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A/RES/64/200
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