MCHD has got you covered on Valentine’s Day
Feb. 12, 2026
By Mary Wade Burnside
It’s no coincidence that National Condom Week falls during mid-February. Created to take place around Valentine’s Day, it begins on Feb. 14 as people celebrate love and romance.
So it’s a great time to point out that condoms are free at Monongalia County Health Department. An appointment can be made for low-cost birth control or STI testing or treatment. Or an individual can just come by to our Clinical Service desk at MCHD, located at 453 Van Voorhis Road, Morgantown, and pick them up.
Also, MCHD Clinical Services staffers will be handing out condoms at the Safer Sex Fair, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Vandalia Lounge at the WVU Mountainlair.
In addition to condom and free rapid HIV testing, other items will be available, including at-home HIV test kits, fentanyl test strips, safer sex supplies and PrEP education and referrals.
The event is sponsored by the WVU LGBTQ-Center, WellWVU and the WVU Center for Black Culture, as well as Monongalia County Health Department.
When it comes to condoms, there are three major takeaways, according to information on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (cdc.gov) website.
They can prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy.
Condoms and dental dams offer protection during sex.
Correct use of condoms reduces the risk of disease but does not eliminate it.
Condoms can also protect against other diseases transmitted through sex, including Zika and Ebola viruses, the CDC notes.
When it comes to STIs, the good news is that rates for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis have fallen in the past few years.
The bad news is that the numbers are still concerning. STI rates had been skyrocketing in recent years, and syphilis has really experienced a resurgence in the 21st century. There is still work to be done in order for these numbers to get even lower.
Also, congenital syphilis — the passage of syphilis from a mother to baby through pregnancy or childbirth — is still on the rise. Pregnant women are urged to get tested for syphilis to help ensure that the infection is not passed on to the infant..
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are highly avoidable — through correct, consistent condom use and by not engaging in high risk behaviors. Syphilis, however, can be spread even with condom use.
Caught early, all three of these STIs can be easily treated with antibiotics. If not, they can lead to a variety of health issues down the road. Even syphilis, in the primary stage, can be cured. But once it progresses to the tertiary stage, it can cause internal organ damage and even death.
In women, both untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which can be painful and can cause ectopic pregnancies and infertility.
Go to this CDC link to learn more about prevention, symptoms and treatment of these and other STIs. Call 304-598-5119 to make an appointment, and keep in mind that our providers are friendly and non-judgmental and that your visits are confidential. The free testing and treatment also means insurance will not be billed.
We at Monongalia County Health Department have additional useful advice for safely navigating Valentine’s Day.
Planning on a dinner out? Our sanitarians inspect restaurants and you can see the reports by going to this link.
This guide will also provide information on other establishments that might be relevant to this holiday. Do you want to show your love with a heart and arrow tattoo? We inspect tattoo studios too! Staying at a hotel and maybe taking a dip in the pool? Those undergo inspection too, and our sanitarians check chlorine and pH levels at pools periodically. They respond to complaints as well and can be reached at 304-598-5131.
Mary Wade Burnside is the public information office at Monongalia County Health Department.