Attention Blood Donors who want to cruise

[rockymo]

I went to donate blood last weekend and was rejected (for a year) because of the Panama Canal cruise we took in Feb. Specifically it was Puerto Quetzal in Guatamala that came up. I was honest in informing them of my travel. The registrar looked up all the ports of call I listed and apparantly only P.Q was a problem. I told her that I was only off the ship a couple of hours and saw no mosquitoes, much less was bitten by any, but she said that since they do not spray for malaria it was on the list. We have cruised many times before, but this has never been a problem. Just a heads up for any prospective donors who go cruising, you might want to check out who is on their "list". They told me I could donate to myself if needed. I kiddingly said that I should have just not told her of the travel, but she was very serious and said that the risk to someone receiving my blood could be disasterous. Everyone was disappointed as there was an urgent need for my blood type. I guess I won't stop cruising, but this was something to think about.

[newport dave]

I donate in the UK, and because I literally got off the plane onto a bus off the bus onto the ship, then vice versa on the return in Jamaica this January, and have now been stopped giving blood for 6 months.

[Sea Hag]

Did they tell you if you'll be able to donate in the future after X amount of time has passed? It surely can't be a permanent ban?

[newport dave]

Did they tell you if you'll be able to donate in the future after X amount of time has passed? It surely can't be a permanent ban?

 

 

The OP does state in their first sentance that they were rejected from donating for a year.

[jfv379]

Having had malaria, 43 years ago, I can tell you that they are very hesitant to take your blood as malaria lays dorment, and could be dormant forever. I always was under the impression that if you had malaria you couldn't give blood for 3 to 5 years. Several years ago when my FIL had Luekimeia, and needed platletts, I went to donate blood. They looked it up and said that if you have had malaria, you can never donate blood.

 

Just recently, I was checking again and the CDC and the American Red Cross says 3 years on blood donation. Maybe they changed the rules.

[Ethel5]

Huatulco is another port that will keep you from donating.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This is not new -- the blood centers have been doing this for years.

It is best to be honest and list all the ports that you have been to.

[RoofingPrincess]

I'm travelling enough to put my self on the semipermanent "naughty list"!

I've received one-year deferrals for:

much of Costa Rica

visiting the ruins near Cozumel or Progreso (but if you don't go to the ruins you're OK)

 

And I haven't checked yet, but I have a feeling that last November's trip to El Salvador and this summer's trip to Peru will keep me off the donation table for another year....

 

Here's their info:

Travel Outside of U.S., Immigration

Wait 12 months after travel in an area where malaria is found. Wait 3 years after living in a country or countries where malaria is found.

 

Wait 12 months after travel to Iraq. This requirement is related to concerns about Leishmanaisis.

Persons who have spent long periods of time in countries where "mad cow disease" is found are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about variant Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (vCJD).

Persons who were born in or who lived in certain countries in Western Africa, or who have had close contact with persons who were born in or who lived in certain West African countries are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about HIV Group O.

[H2Otstr]

I was also rejected from donating blood after visiting Tulum, even though I had already donated twice after coming back. I am always honost about my travels, but I slipped through the cracks on the "History" portion of donating before I was finally told that I was not qualified - go figure.

[I'm on holiday]

I was rejected too, and yes, it was for a year! My last cruise was Cozumel, Cayman, Roatan and Belize. I think I got the combo-island rejection.

[retiredonthesea]

Thanks for the info. We will be going to South America next spring and I will make sure we donate right before we go. This is on the same subject, but not often people are notified about-----after having a tatoo you have to wait a year also before donating blood.

[capasamari]

The Dominican Republic is another one, my husband was turned away recently and asked not to donate for six months after return.

 

He was also turned away after visiting Jamaica in November 2006, as although Jamaica is not recognised as a malarial island there had been a recent outbreak there.

 

Carol x

[Sunshine-lady]

I give blood every chance I can get. I have a rare blood that they love to receive. I always inform them of my cruises. We have been to Cozumel, Grand Caymen, and Ocho Rios. They always ask if I have been to the ruins. We only get off the ship to shop in Cozumel. They have never deferred me from giving. I guess it all depends if you have been to the ruins in Cozumel. All the other ports, they have said aren't a problem.

[BaumD]

If you go to RCCL's private "island" at Labadee, you are really in Haiti and that can also cause blood donor problems.

[cardbucfan]

I never would have thought of this! Do you know about Ecuador and the Galapagos? They are calling for my blood (O.K.,that sounds bad) but we were in South America just 2 months ago.

[SimpleKnowledge]

I never would have thought of this! Do you know about Ecuador and the Galapagos? They are calling for my blood (O.K.,that sounds bad) but we were in South America just 2 months ago.

 

When I got "the call" I told them that I was recently on vacation. They have a book and he was able to look up to see if I was eligible. If you call your blood people, they could quickly look it up for you.

[SimpleKnowledge]

They annoying thing about our Med cruise we took is that we stopped at Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey. It is not on the list, but they always asked if I went to Istanbul.

 

No.

Are you sure?

Yeah. Would've gone to the Blue Mosque if we did.

 

I had to endure that for three years. I think they have changed their form so I only have to report where I've been for the last year. I'm on the naught list because I went to Nuevo Vallarta last October.

[cardbucfan]

When I got "the call" I told them that I was recently on vacation. They have a book and he was able to look up to see if I was eligible. If you call your blood people, they could quickly look it up for you.

Thanks, I'll have them check for me.

[cruiserbryce]

we had a drive at work and after our Jamaica trip was told to wait a year to donate

[morecruise4me]

We are getting ready for a cruise that stops in Samana, DR. My BFF looked at the CDC site and found that there is an alert out for portions of the DR. From what I understand, and correct me if I am wrong, but you can still give blood after visiting these ports if you take the malaria preventative medication before, during, and after your cruise. Only problem with that is the medication itself can have some yucky side effects (nausea, diarreah, etc).

[rimau]

Here is a link to a site where you can see if you will have trouble traveling to any country.

http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/risk_map/

The best thing to do is type in your ports of call. The map shows malaria in most of the Mexican Rivera, for example, but the text says there is no problem in the cruise port cities.

[SeaGypsies]

Here is a link to a site where you can see if you will have trouble traveling to any country.

http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/risk_map/

The best thing to do is type in your ports of call. The map shows malaria in most of the Mexican Rivera, for example, but the text says there is no problem in the cruise port cities.

 

The interactive malaria map on the CDC web site is a fun tool to use once you learn how. Mexico has some tricky locations where malaria has been found. Topolobampo port is now frequented by HAL and is a malarial port. It's found on the coast in Sinaloa state. Many take the train excursion to the Copper Canyon area in Chihuahua state from there. This area is still considered malarial.

 

There are parts of Turkey that are malarial but not near Istanbul.

 

Every blood center has their own QA department that interpets the CDC Yellow Book so there might be slight differences on deferral areas.