Table 1.
Updated blood collection policies and Federal Drug Administration regulatory changes
| New Screening Measures and Changes | Deferral |
|---|---|
| Persons who traveled in COVID-19 endemic areas a | 14–28 da |
| Persons diagnosed with COVID-19, contact with people with the virus, and those suspected of having it a | |
| For male donors who would have been deferred for having sex with another man | From 12 mo to 3 mo |
| For female donors who would have been deferred for having sex with a man who had sex with another man | |
| For those with recent tattoos and piercings | |
| For those who have traveled to malaria-endemic areas (and are residents of malaria nonendemic countries): the agency is changing the recommended deferral period from 12 to 3 mo. In addition, the guidance provides notice of an alternate procedure that permits the collection of blood and blood components from such donors without a deferral period, provided the blood components are pathogen-reduced using an FDA-approved pathogen reduction device. | |
| For those who spent time in certain European countries or on military bases in Europe who were previously considered to have been exposed to a potential risk of transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the agency is eliminating the recommended deferrals and is recommending allowing reentry of these donors. | From indefinite deferral to no deferral |