I understand that if you have travelled to Belize you are unable to donate blood. Is that correct? I know we had this discussion several months back.

Good question for right now, but I don't remember what the answer is. I'm sure if you call the donor center they can tell you. If you get an answer let us know.

Peace, Susan

I do know that if you have taken malaria medication you will not be able to donate blood for a year.

I just got back from the Red Cross, they had some questions about my having been in Belize in April.

They did, however, upon learning that I was at Ambergris Caye only, take my blood.

The general limitation is six months after visiting a malaria area. They were unclear on exactly where in Belize constitutes those area, but they seemed confident that AC does not represent a problem.

Man, I saw lines at the gas stations like I haven't seen since just after the '73 Yom Kipper war.

The Red Cross had told me last year that there chart says that you can not give blood for 13 months if you were in either the Cayes or remote area's of Belize.

The Red Cross here in DFW, has set up a blood donation center here at Renion area here in dfw and its going for 24 hrs a day for NY and ship the blood there... go do it if you live here and if not go to your local place to give.... This is bad and we all have to our part... Thanks, Rick

I dunno Bill. I only know they took mine, but I'm in a small town and they could have made a mistake or something. My attitude on that was better to let them take it and destroy it later then not to give at all.

They have more then enought blood now though. Too much I think.

[This message has been edited by Florian (edited 09-12-2001).]

I recently tried to donate blood when a friend of mine had surgery. The woman at the center said I had to wait 12 months after visiting Belize because we had gone to the mainland to visit the Mayan Ruins. I remember while we were there driving into the town of Bomba, there was a sign posted by the health department about it being an area where malaria was present. They have a book at the centers that tells you where the acceptable areas are.

I with the Red Cross would get their s**t together a little, it seems everyone is getting conflicting information. I just got back from my honeymoon last week, I waited 2 hours to donate blood, and they told me that visiting "Belize City" was o.k., but visiting "Ambergris Caye" was not.

They told my new wife at another location that visiting any part of Belize means that you cannot donate blood for 12 months.

We were in Ambergris Key for a week and without bug spray neither of us had even a small nibble from a mosquito.

Just returned from Red Cross and was told that I couldn't donate for 1 year. The interviewer told me that according to her guidelines Belize City was OK but Ambergris Cay was considered high risk area for Malaria. I am a big weany but I really wanted to donate today to do my part. Guess I will return when my 1 year is up. I does sound like there is conflicts within the donation centers.