Zika Virus stops blood collection in Puerto Rico; Floridians needed to donate blood

The FDA is working on a test to find Zika in the blood supply. For now, Florida is providing blood to other countries that have closed their donor banks due to the Zika virus. Zika fever is a mild illness caused by a mosquito-borne virus. While Zika is not known to be fatal, it can cause birth defects in which babies are born with small heads and brain damage.

Blood donors like Kay Grondzik understand that the time to give is now. She worked at the blood bank on Centurion Parkway for 13 years, and she tells Action News Jax that halting blood collections in Puerto Rico due to the Zika virus will cause a public health crisis.

“We are in a shortage as it is and we are going to be in an exceptional shortage with the Zika virus,” said Grondzik.

Action News Jax reporter Kaitlyn Chana went through the process to donate blood on Friday. She was given several informational sheets and completed a questionnaire that included Zika-specific questions. OneBlood Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rita Reik tells us the FDA hasn’t approved a test to use for screening blood donations for the Zika virus. OneBlood is the new name for the Florida Georgia Blood Alliance.

“On their questionnaire there will be a question that asks them specifically about risk and if they answered positively they will be deferred for the 28 days,” said Dr. Reik.

OneBlood sent 318 blood products to Puerto Rico, yet the country needs several thousand units a month.

As of now, Dr. Reik tells us Florida is not experiencing active transmission of the virus even though there are 60 cases in the state. OneBlood leaders tell us the merger allows them to help hospitals on a larger scale. It adds additional operational efficiencies, stabilizes the blood supply and enhances donor outreach initiatives. The two organizations merged on July 31, 2015. They tell Action News Jax they distribute more than 1 million blood products annually, severing more than 200 hospitals throughout most of Florida, parts of Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina.

Health officials tell us that donating 1 pint of blood can help save up to three lives.

Cox Media Group