Florida blood bank OneBlood says an “incredible outpouring” of support for victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting filled its donation centers to capacity Sunday, a day when they typically see no more than a dozen donors.
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A group of Democrats are calling on the Food and Drug Administration to remove limits that prevent gay men from donating blood.
Many people in southwest OH saw the images Sunday from Orlando of people waiting in long lines to give blood after the worst mass shooting in USA history. There are false reports circulating that some FDA rules were being lifted, and this is simply not true.
“There’s no reason to not accept blood from gay men in the era that we live in”, Newsome said.
Some called for straight allies to donate on behalf of gay and bisexual men who can not.
This is not quite right, as the restrictions on gay men donating blood, borne out of fears of HIV/AIDS transmission, are a nationwide rule and not a flat-out ban.
“One Blood will be collecting blood to replenish the supply that was greatly diminished over the weekend”.
A push for blood donations in the wake of a mass shooting at a gay nightclub quickly raised questions – and confusion – about whether gay men can themselves donate blood.
“The tragedy is a harsh reminder of the importance of blood donors that give in advance of the need”, said LifeShare spokeswoman Tina Hooper in a news release.
Many countries still ban gay men from donating blood altogether, but others are going even farther than the USA and Australia toward inclusion.
Earlier this year, health officials in the United States and overseas urged anyone who had traveled to areas most affected by the Zika virus – list that is growing nearly daily – to wait a month before giving blood. All blood types are needed-especially O negative (O-) and O positive (O+).
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Orlando’s One-Blood Donation Center says its website crashed with the response. “I came in to donate blood because of the Orlando tragedy”.
