United Blood Services Preventing the Spread of Zika

United Blood Services is taking steps to protect the public from the Zika virus.

The Valley’s non–profit blood provider is turning away donations from anyone who has traveled to locations affected by the virus.

United Blood Services is following measures taken by blood services around the country by not taking donations from anyone who has visited areas affected by the Zika virus in the past 28 days.

This limitation is also coming at the worst time of the year.

United Blood Services wants to make sure the blood it sends to hospitals is safe from the Zika virus.

If you’ve been to an area affected by the virus, you’ll have to wait in order to donate blood.

“For safety precautions, we’re deciding on 28 days right now to make sure anybody comes back they may have symptoms of fever or joint pains or those types of things.  We want to make sure they are healthy before they come in and donate,” said Regional Director Jennifer Bredahl.

With no way of testing for the Zika virus, centers like United Blood Services rely on donors’ honesty.

“That specific test isn’t there, so one of the things when you’re giving blood as a donation – we have to go by the honesty and the trustworthiness of the questionnaire and what we’re able to ask people,” added Bredahl.

Since there is no screen test for Zika, United Blood Services has to turn away about three percent of its regular donors, so they need more people to donate blood.

The center’s regular donors continue to return for their usual donations.

“I’ve been doing it like once a week for the platelets.  You can do it once a week.  There is a time where you can give so many in a 12 month period.  So a couple of times I have been deferred where I have to wait till one of the other ones drop off,” said Fred Bernhardson, a frequent donor at United Blood Services.

Donors like Fred aren’t going to be enough, especially in winter when donations hit a yearly low.

United Blood Services said they need 300 extra donations per month to make up for the amount of potential donations they turn away due to the Zika virus precautions.

To find out how to donate blood, visit www.UnitedBloodServices.org.