Restrictions lifted for many who spent time in certain European countries
The American Red Cross now invites those who spent time in the U.K., Ireland or France and have never tried to give blood due to concerns over variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) – related to mad cow disease – to give blood and help save lives.
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated its blood donor eligibility guidance on vCJD, eliminating the deferral for those who spent time in the U.K., Ireland and France between 1980 and 2001. In alignment with FDA changes, the Red Cross began accepting donations Oct. 3 from individuals who have not tried giving blood before due to the prior donation criteria. In combination with prior eligibility updates in 2020 for those who spent time in other European countries, this new change effectively eliminates the deferral related to vCJD for all donors.
“For many years, the Red Cross has heard from people who have spent time in these countries – often members of the military and their families – hoping for the opportunity to donate blood or platelets,” said Greg Novinska, Regional Donor Services Executive with the American Red Cross. “We now welcome all donors who may have spent time in Europe and avoided blood donation as a result to join us in our lifesaving mission to help patients in need.”
More blood donors – especially type O donors – are urged to donate now to prevent disruptions to essential medical care this fall. Book a time to give by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). As a thank-you, all who come to give Oct. 16-31, 2022, will receive a $10 e-Gift Card by email to a merchant of choice.
Changes in progress for those with a Red Cross donor record
Those who have tried to give with the Red Cross and have been previously deferred from donating will be contacted by the Red Cross once system records are updated. This deferral is more complex to remove than others as there are decades of donors in the Red Cross system who have been deferred under the previous FDA requirements. Individuals who have questions about their donor record can contact the Red Cross Donor and Client Support Center at 1-866-236-3276.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Oct. 16-31:
WI
Brown
Green Bay
10/14/2022: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 3195 S. Ridge Rd.
10/14/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/14/2022: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Legion Post 11, 1708 N Irwin St.
10/15/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/16/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/17/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/18/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/19/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/21/2022: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 3195 S. Ridge Rd.
10/21/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/22/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/23/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/24/2022: 8:45 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/25/2022: 12 p.m. – 6:45 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/26/2022: 12 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/27/2022: 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Green Bay Community Church, 600 Cardinal Lane
10/28/2022: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 3195 S. Ridge Rd.
10/28/2022: 9:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/29/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/30/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
10/31/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/1/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/2/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/4/2022: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 3195 S. Ridge Rd.
11/4/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/5/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/6/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/7/2022: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., Green Bay Packers, Johnsonville Tailgate Village, 1265 Lombardi Avenue
11/7/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/7/2022: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Green Bay Packers, Johnsonville Tailgate Village, 1265 Lombardi Avenue
11/8/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/8/2022: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Faith Lutheran Church, 2335 S Webster Ave
11/9/2022: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Ferguson Family YMCA Downtown, 235 N Jefferson St
11/9/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
11/10/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Tundra Lodge, Tundra Lodge Resort & Conference Center, 865 Lombardi Ave
11/11/2022: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 3195 S. Ridge Rd.
11/11/2022: 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m., Green Bay Blood Donation Center, 2131 Deckner Ave
New Franken
10/28/2022: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., St Joseph Church, 5996 Cty Rd K
_______________
Calumet
Chilton
10/24/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Eagles Club Chilton, 1041 Chestnut
New Holstein
10/19/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., New Holstein High School, 1715 Plymouth St
_______________
Door
Brussels
11/4/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Southern Door High School, 2073 Cty Rd DK
Egg Harbor
11/4/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Northern Door Community, 7845 Church St
Fish Creek
10/21/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., YMCA Door County, 3866 Gibraltar Rd
Sturgeon Bay
10/20/2022: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, 229 North 14th Ave
10/24/2022: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St Peters Evangelical Lutheran Church, 108 W Maple
10/25/2022: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., St Peters Evangelical Lutheran Church, 108 W Maple
11/3/2022: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sevastopol High School, 4550 Hwy 57
11/11/2022: 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Bay View Lutheran Church, 340 W Maple St.
_______________
Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac
10/17/2022: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Fond Du Lac Public Library, 32 Sheboygan St.
10/19/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Theisen Middle School, 525 E Pioneer Rd
10/27/2022: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Commonwealth Companies, 24 S Brooke St
11/9/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., St Mary’s Springs High School, 255 Cty Rd K
Mount Calvary
10/18/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6 p.m., Maximillians, 155 Fond du Lac Street
Ripon
10/18/2022: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church ELCA, 430 Griswold St
11/10/2022: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Ripon High School, 850 Tiger Dr
_______________
Green Lake
Green Lake
10/27/2022: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., American Legion, 518 Water Street
Markesan
10/19/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Markesan High School, 100 Vista Blvd
_______________
Kewaunee
Kewaunee
11/2/2022: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Kewaunee High School, 911 Third St
_______________
Manitowoc
Cleveland
11/11/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Lakeshore Technical College, 1290 North Avenue
Mishicot
10/20/2022: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 325 Randolph St
Two Rivers
10/13/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Two Rivers High School, 4519 Lincoln Ave
_______________
Marinette
Coleman
10/19/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Coleman High School, Coleman High School, 347 Business 141 N
Crivitz
11/1/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Crivitz High School, 400 S Ave
Marinette
10/26/2022: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Marinette High School, 2135 Pierce
10/28/2022: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Pine Tree Mall, 2800 Roosevelt Rd.
Peshtigo
10/20/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Faith Baptist Church, 350 N Stephenson Ave
_______________
Oconto
Oconto
11/3/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Oconto High School, 1717 Superior
Oconto Falls
10/13/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, 165 N Farm Rd
_______________
Outagamie
Appleton
10/27/2022: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Legion Post 38 Johnston Blessman, 3220 W. College Ave
_______________
Shawano
Bowler
10/18/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Bowler High School, 500 S Almon
Gresham
11/8/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Gresham High School, 501 Schabow Rd
Shawano
10/26/2022: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Shawano High School, 220 Cty Hwy B
_______________
Waupaca
New London
10/14/2022: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., American Legion, 840 E North Water St
_______________
Winnebago
Omro
10/14/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Omro High School, 455 Fox Trail
Oshkosh
10/21/2022: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Oshkosh Community YMCA, 3303 W 20th Avenue
11/3/2022: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Calvary Lutheran Church, 2580 W 9th Ave
11/10/2022: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Oshkosh Community YMCA Downtown, 324 Washington ave
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
