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CarbonRobot CarbonRobot
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A year ago
Why can't a person donate blood when they have a cold or flu? That doesn't travel in the blood after it is processed? Assuming a person merely has a runny nose which could be allergies how does one know when to proceed. My days of not having a runny nose may never line up with appointments.
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#1
Educator
A year ago Edited: A year ago, bio_man
Hi CarbonRobot

Opinion, not fact:

Symptoms of the cold or flu are similar to many illnesses that are far worse than these seasonal illnesses. As a result, they wait until symptoms are cleared to ensure you don't have some illness that is much more contagious and transmittable.
CarbonRobot Author
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#2
A year ago
Well I guess that's fair, but I never have a fever. Just runny nose.
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#3
Educator
A year ago Edited: A year ago, bio_man
I'm not entirely sure of the guidelines, but it could also be because the pathogen causing the influenza is found in the bloodstream during an infection? I don't think a runny nose should be of any concern though.

According to this article:

Influenza A virus is easily transmitted by respiratory aerosols and droplets and has high epidemic and pandemic potential (1). Influenza viremia may be established within 2–3 days before onset of clinical symptoms (2), implying that this virus is hypothetically transmissible by blood transfusion. However, transmission has never been confirmed, and efforts to detect influenza virus RNA among blood donors have been unsuccessful

That being said, if the flu virus has never been detected in the blood, why should they deny a donator? I suppose they are just practicing the 'better safe than sorry' approach, and don't want to potentially taint the good blood with bad stuff.

Best to just wait till you show no symptoms, including the runny nose. Everyone is so sensitive these days
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