Can't donate blood after visit to DR!

[clmom]

I went to do my usual blood donation yesterday and found out I was not eligible to donate blood now for an entire year because of my one day in the Dominican Republic in February!! The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has specified Haiti, Dominican Republic and parts of Mexico as "at risk" for malaria. :eek:I was told that even if I had not gotten off the ship in port, I still would not be able to donate blood for a year (which makes sense since malaria carrying mosquitoes are airborne).

 

Just thought I would throw this little piece of news out there...not that it would have changed our choice of itinerary but I was so surprised that one little day in one little port has lengthy implications. I can't imagine how many tens of thousands of otherwise eligible donors this affects.

[Karysa]

I went to do my usual blood donation yesterday and found out I was not eligible to donate blood now for an entire year because of my one day in the Dominican Republic in February!! The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has specified Haiti, Dominican Republic and parts of Mexico as "at risk" for malaria. :eek:I was told that even if I had not gotten off the ship in port, I still would not be able to donate blood for a year (which makes sense since malaria carrying mosquitoes are airborne).

 

Just thought I would throw this little piece of news out there...not that it would have changed our choice of itinerary but I was so surprised that one little day in one little port has lengthy implications. I can't imagine how many tens of thousands of otherwise eligible donors this affects.

 

Went through the same thing last year. The port was Samana DR and if I had stayed on the ship I was told that I would have been ok to donate. Apparently it is expensive to test for malaria on all donors but one would think that it would be worth testing donors who have rare or much needed blood types such as O-neg. Donated a couple of weeks ago and I was told that travel has been having a big impact on donations.

[sheenamike]

Yep, same thing happened to me too. I was surprised that it was a whole year!

[Anyislandwilldo]

Same here only I was in Roatan for one day as a port of call.

[mayo2222]

Same thing just happened to me a few minutes ago.

[roscoegirl]

I went to do my usual blood donation yesterday and found out I was not eligible to donate blood now for an entire year because of my one day in the Dominican Republic in February!! The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has specified Haiti, Dominican Republic and parts of Mexico as "at risk" for malaria. I was told that even if I had not gotten off the ship in port, I still would not be able to donate blood for a year (which makes sense since malaria carrying mosquitoes are airborne).

 

Just thought I would throw this little piece of news out there...not that it would have changed our choice of itinerary but I was so surprised that one little day in one little port has lengthy implications. I can't imagine how many tens of thousands of otherwise eligible donors this affects.

 

 

Just thought I would comment on this issue... to my knowledge, as having worked in the Health Care industry for years and years, it has always been a rule (of the American Red Cross/CDC, specifically) that any person wishing to donate blood would be questioned IF they have traveled outside of the US within a year of the donation date. This is not new and was never limited to specific countries --Also, ANY third world destinations you may travel to outside of the US, has always been a 'no go' for blood donation. (it also depends upon what is currently happening at or within those countries) If it is important to you to donate blood, please continue to do so because the very countries you indicated, are some of the several countries, MOST in need of our help on an ongoing basis. Just wait out the year, post-travel, and get back out there to donate...ESPECIALLY if you have type O+ (O positive) blood.:)

 

Thanks!

[Auldsn2usc]

I am a monthly platelet donor, We will be in DR on Nov.21st. Guess I need to inform the Red Cross that after my Nov. donation, I wont be seeing them for a year. But I will pick back up next year. I wonder how many other people this effects ?

[BND]

My DH had malignant melanoma almost 6 years ago and has been declared cancer free as of last year so he was looking forward to donating blood again which he was going to be able to. We were in Labadee and Samana this past March. I had read about Haiti so I told him he might not be able to donate. When he went in they told him, no, he had to wait a year. Problem is we're going back to Labadee in Nov so he has to wait a year from there, unless another one of our ports on the cruises we have booked after that are a problem.

[Cruisebylandorsea]

I was told that even after taking medication as a precaution to prevent malaria that I could not donate blood.

 

I also understand there the chance to get Degue Fever in DR