Blood donation restrictions for gay men eased amid coronavirus shortage, FDA says
Restrictions on blood donations have been loosened in response to shortages linked to coronavirus.
The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday it’s easing the restrictions it previously put in place on donations from gay men and others in an effort to combat the “unprecedented challenges to the U.S. blood supply” caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blood donation centers have seen a massive drop in donors as social distancing policies and cancellations sweep the country, the FDA says.
The American Red Cross says it has seen drops in donations and has urged people who are healthy and able to donate blood, McClatchy News reports.
The FDA’s new guidelines shorten the donation deferment period for men who have sex with men to three months. Previously, men were required to wait a year after having sex with a man to donate blood.
The period has also been shortened to three months for women who have had sex with a man who’s had sex with a man and for people with new tattoos or piercings.
Additionally, people who have traveled to an area where they would be at risk of contracting malaria need only wait three months after returning to donate, the FDA says.
The FDA said in a release that these changes can be made without “compromising the safety of the blood supply.”
The changes went into effect Thursday and will stay in place at least for the duration of the pandemic, the FDA says.
The American Red Cross has emphasized that donating blood during the COVID-19 pandemic is safe and has said it is taking extra precautions.
There is no evidence or data to show that the coronavirus, or any respiratory virus, can be transmitted through a blood transfusion, the Red Cross says.
The organization also says it has enhanced safety protocols at its donation centers.
This includes the disinfection of surfaces and equipment, temperature checks on donors, increased availability of hand sanitizer and practicing social distancing.
Additionally, all staff members are wearing face masks.
The FDA and Red Cross emphasized the importance of blood donation, especially during this time.
“Maintaining an adequate blood supply is vital to public health,” the FDA said in the release. “Blood donors help patients of all ages — accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients and those battling cancer and other life-threatening conditions. The American Red Cross estimates that every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.”
The FDA also encouraged more people to donate.
“People who donate blood are part of our critical infrastructure industries,” it said. “More donations are needed at this time and we hope people will continue to take the time to donate blood.”
