In an effort to increase the dwindling number of blood donations, deferral periods have been shortened for donating blood. One change is for individuals who have traveled to malaria-endemic areas now only have a deferral period of three months compared to an entire year. Another is for those who recently got a tattoo or piercing can now give blood in three months with the same deferral period change. These changes were made by the Food and Drug Administration after recent studies show that these deferral periods can be shortened without compromising the safety of the blood supply. Mississippi Valley Blood Center (MVBC) Director of Donor and Public Relations Amanda Hess says the lifetime deferral for military personnel in Europe, due to the risk for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, has also been lifted, “One of the best changes we feel is the change with the Mad Cow Disease risk. Prior to the change in the FDA guidance, individuals who lived on a military base in Europe were indefinitely deferred, they couldn’t give at all. Now that has been lifted. That has been a wonderful thing for our military personnel and their family who lived on bases abroad. Now they can give. It’s really allowed us to bring back really hundreds of donors there were previously deferred and folks maybe that just didn’t want to try it because they knew that they would be deferred.” These changes will remain in place even after the pandemic has ended giving thousands of individuals the chance to donate. While these recommendations are not required to be implemented by blood centers, the MVBC, who serves donors and hospitals in southeast Iowa, will implement these changes moving forward. To donate blood, click here.