…until you need a blood transfusion. According to the Swiss Red Cross, the next generation of donors is dwindling, and not just because we’re living in an aging society. No, it’s because every tenth young person wanting to give blood has to be turned down.
Why? Because in the last six months, they’ve engaged in risky behavior such as the following:
– had a tattoo done
– had a piercing done
– had sex with a new partner
– travelled to areas with risk of malaria or other diseases
So why do we call it safe sex, if we don’t let people donate blood after having it?
And why is it okay to give blood after only six months with a “new partner”? Is that really enough time to develop signs of anything nasty that may have come along for the ride?
Then again, if we visit Switzerland much more, we’ll move into the category of people who have been in a foreign country for more than X cumulative months. I can’t remember X, just that last time we gave blood I realized it was possible to reach it. It’s not an automatic turn-down, but no longer an automatic pass, either. They already ask me extra questions because of a vaccine study I was part of, but so far they’ve never rejected me.
I used to be afraid of giving blood on the grounds that I might have some dread disease I didn’t know about but which would harm the recipient. Finally I decided to leave that decision up to the experts, because, as you said, the supply of those who have no known risks is dwindling.
I think it’s okay because after six months you’ll have contracted all the new partner’s stuff long enough ago that it will show up in your blood when they test it. What they’re afraid of is not so much tainted blood, but tainted blood that passes the screenings.
Of course, if you only just decided you could stop the “safe” part of safe sex a month ago, but the partner’s seven months old, then all bets are off.