Anyone here work with the Red Cross? question about Ebola & our blood supply.

[awake]

I do not want to start any fear but in the 80s our blood supply became infected with AIDs for lack of care I remember the Red Cross taking a big hit for this. Does anyone know if there has there been any safe guards against an Ebola infected health worker donating blood before they are aware of their condition. A simple addition to the screening form would help prevent this but I am not sure the Red Cross is taking enough precautions yet. I know it seem like it should have be taken care of but when we hear of health workers who might have been exposed to Ebola going on airline even though they have a fever or going out to a bowling ally when they feel fatigued one wounds if this has been thought about. Please tell me I am over reacting and that some one can tell me that heighten care is being taken to protect the blood supply from infection with Ebola.

[Wait Wut]

1. ...

http://www.americasblood.org/press-room/statements.aspx

[etherealtruth]

2. Joint Statement Regarding Ebola and the Safety of the Blood Supply

AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross issued the following statement regarding the blood community’s response to Ebola on October 15, 2014:


http://www.aabb.org/advocacy/statements/Pages/statement141015.aspx

Ebola virus has never been transmitted by blood transfusion, but we are being very cautious while the epidemic unfolds in Africa. With the current health history screening process, the risk of transfusion-transmission is incredibly low. Anyone with a temperature of higher than 99.5 is automatically deferred from giving blood.

In addition, we are asking individuals who have been told by public health authorities that they may have been exposed to a patient with Ebola virus not to donate blood for 28 days following their last contact with the infected person. This request for donors to self-defer from giving blood comes as a recommendation from AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks).

Ebola testing is only performed by highly specialized labs such as those operated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is currently no test available to screen routine blood donations in the United States.

[awake]

3. Thank you good to know. It would be better if it was stricter than "self-defer" ...

...from giving blood if some one has "been told by public health authorities that they may have been exposed to a patient with Ebola virus" We need to REQUIRE such people to not be allowed to donate for 28 days not ask them to "self-defer" they also need to be asked if they have been in a area where there has been a Ebola outbreak like West Africa.

[etherealtruth]

5. Yeah, I am definitely not hysterical or an ebola alarmist

...but, If you have been in an area/ or had close/intimate contact with someone from an impacted area DO NOT donate blood for 28 days.

[Marrah_G]

6. Maybe we could ban them for life if they've ever been to Africa!

You know... like how we have banned gay men from ever donating blood. Sorry to be so snarky, but this sort of post does nothing but spread fear, un-necessary fear.

[awake]

7. In no way was this post meant to spread fear

I respect the wisdom of many on this site and as you can see from to above responses I was give a good answer to my question.
I am no way suggesting banning anyone from giving blood for life or banning people who have traveled anywhere outside of a outbreak area form donating blood. Just that we do not need to relive the tragedy of a tainted blood supply like we experienced in the 1980s when the Red Cross sat on their hands while the blood was being infected for lack of proper screening.

[Marrah_G]

8. Ebola is not an epidemic here though

And the chances of it becoming one are really slim.

[awake]

9. I agree so let us keep it that way.

But let us not for get that it is still an epidemic in west Africa and until we stop it there people are suffering from its devastating effects.

[Marrah_G]

4. ~facepalm~

This is getting ridiculous.

[dembotoz]

10. have donated blood for a number of years now--well over 2 gallons

rather extensive screening each and everytime you donate
long questionnaire with questions about travel etc
with the rates of aids cases in africa would imagine the red flags are already in place.
safe to assume risk is quite low

[awake]

11. Good to know and thanks for your generosity

Glad to hear things have improved as to how they screen.