MADISON, Ala. (WHNT)-- After Florida health officials confirmed a local Zika virus transmission, blood donation centers in neighboring states are taking extra precautions.
At LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, like the donation center in Madison, workers are stepping up testing for Zika in Alabama locations next Tuesday. The donation centers will test every donation for the virus using a new test system being evaluated by the FDA. It's a research study that requires them to take an extra vial of blood for testing. Patients who test positive for Zika will be notified and their donations will be discarded.
"LifeSouth is actually the local supplier for all of the hospitals in north Alabama," said Victoria Bell, LifeSouth District Community Development Coordinator. "We supply about 90% of the blood supply here. So it's extremely important that our blood supply be healthy."
You need to know about an important piece of paperwork that will come your way if you donate with LifeSouth. It's a consent form for the new testing for Zika that they will start doing with every donation. Bell said that if you choose not to sign the form, they can not take your donation.
Donors should also expect the two affected Florida counties, Miami-Dade and Broward, to be added to the list of Zika-affected areas. If you've traveled to them, you're asked not to donate at this time. As always, if you test positive for Zika or exhibit signs and symptoms of it, you shouldn't donate either.