i used to give before an exchange to france in the 1990s disqualified me for decades to come over fears of mad cow disease. but the long-running ban on blood donations from people who spent significant time in countries where creutzfeldt-jakob disease was prevalent was finally lifted last year as concerns about the fatal neurocognitive disorder contracted by eating beef from infected cows diminished over time.
it might be the middle of the summer holidays, but there’s no reprieve for those who need blood products to manage their disease or because of unforeseen circumstances like a terrible accident. every 80 seconds , someone in quebec requires blood. you just never know when you or your loved one could end up being the person in need.
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going to a blood donor clinic may not scream summer vacation fun, but it’s actually a good time to donate. you can do it close to home or wherever you venture. there are clinics, both permanent and roving, operating across the province . and why not visit when you have all the time in the world, rather than when you’re in a rush, even if you can reserve a time slot on héma-québec’s website (hema-quebec.qc.ca) for maximum efficiency?
after the tainted blood tragedy of the 1990s , in which more than 1,000 canadians were inadvertently infected with hiv and hepatitis c through transfusions, screening and tracking became much more rigorous. you still have to answer questions about your health, travel and potential high-risk behaviours to determine eligibility, even if mad cow disease is no longer as big a worry.
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