People aged 12 to 25 can go get free sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, sexual health education and contraception information this week from 3pm to 5pm at Clinic 35, Gateway Health's Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic.

Sexual health nurse Ange Davidson said anyone who is sexually active is at risk of contracting an STI, so it was important to be aware.

"Sometimes people are a bit scared to go to their GP to have a conversation," she said.

"But that's what we do all day everyday, we're having those conversations with young people and we also want young people to be able to get the right information to be able to have really positive sexual health and positive relationships with their partners.

"We know that rates of chlamydia are still quite high, we know that rates of syphilis are going up in recent times and the Department of health have a campaign to promote syphilis testing at the moment."

Last year the Federal Department of Health recorded a nearly 90 per cent increase in cases of infectious syphilis in Australia compared to rates from 2015.

Ms Davidson said in the Albury-Wodonga and surrounding regions the most common type of STI was still chlamydia.

"I'd say we have seen some increases in gonorrhea and some increases in syphilis over time, but we tend to think chlamydia is our most common one that we would see," she said.

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Sexual health nurse Sam Terna said most STI's are curable.

"So there's definitely not any reason to be scared," she said.

Ms Terna said there were a number of reasons people should get tested, including if they'd had sex without using barrier protection, such as a condom.

She said the recommended frequency of STI screening depended on the individuals risk level.

"Generally we'd say every 12 months, but if they're having multiple partners, every three to six months," she said. "But if they're symptomatic at any stage come in and we'll see you."

Ms Davidson said COVID-19 had impacted STI screening rates at the clinic.

"In our clinic we saw a drop of in rates of testing initially," she said.

"That was because people were concerned about 'can I come to the clinic and get tested when we're in lockdown?'

"But as we saw an increase in telehealth and other ways of consultation our rates went back to [normal]."

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