I was very surprised this week to read the news that the Red Cross has reversed its ban on blood donations from those who lived in certain countries during certain years, which was enacted a few decades back and related to mad cow disease.
When they put that rule in place, I had been a blood donor for, oh, 20 years, since I was in college, and I gave regularly (including doing plasmapheresis for a while). So I will admit that I was bothered to be kicked out just because of the year I had spent in England in the mid-80s. But now, apparently, all is forgiven! How about that.
Will I give blood again? Yes, when I encounter a convenient, evening or weekend blood drive*, I'm willing; I'm not going to hold a grudge about it. It just ... feels funny? Knowing that I can again? I'm not sure why.
*When I lived in Charlotte NC, there was one annual blood drive that I always timed my donations to be eligible for: it was sponsored by Ben & Jerry's, and you got a free pint of ice cream for donating. Why not, right? I haven't been paying attention to drives around here, of course, so I'll have to look around and see if there are any fun ones like that.
Do you or have you given blood?
Do they still give out the stickers when you do?
Oh, wow! I lived in Europe for several years when I was very young and had been a gallon blood donor until that ban went into place. I went to a blood drive in 2020 and was turned away again. Interesting. Maybe I'll try to find a Red Cross drive near me. Thanks for this PSA!
ReplyDeleteMad cow disease! I totally forgot about that. Wow, wasn't that a thing. I haven't donated blood in a long while, I should probably do that again. I don't know if the rules are the same in Canada or not.
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