OneBlood To Begin Testing Blood Donations For Zika Virus

July 22, 2016

As of August 1, OneBlood will begin testing blood donations for the Zika virus.

“With approval to begin using the investigational test granted, our immediate plan is to begin testing a portion of our collections for the Zika virus to allow hospitals to have access to Zika-screened blood products from unaffected areas to use with their high risk patients, such as pregnant women,” said Dr. Rita Reik, OneBlood’s chief medical officer.  “Hospitals that want Zika-screened products will request what they need on an on-demand basis.  We will expand our inventory of Zika-screened blood based on hospital usage.”

Additional proactive steps OneBlood implemented earlier this year to protect the local blood supply from the Zika virus remain in effect including enacting additional donor deferral guidelines, updating the donor history questionnaire to include Zika specific questions and issuing educational materials to donors.

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