ELIGIBILITY for BLOOD DONATIONS This List Is NOT a Complete List of Countries, Just the Most Visited Countries

ELIGIBILITY FOR BLOOD DONATIONS This list is NOT a complete list of countries, just the most visited countries. If the country you have visited is not listed, you may call 713-791-6612 or 713-791-6608 or email Medical Services to find out if you are eligible to make a blood donation or not. LOCATION COMMENTS Africa Algeria - No deferral. Botswana: Gaborone and Francistown - No deferral. All other areas - Not eligible for one year after return. Kenya - Not eligible for one year after return. Nigeria - Not eligible for one year after return. South Africa - Large cities such as Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth - No deferral. Game parks, provinces of Northern, NE Kwa Zula-Natal, Mpumalanga Provinces - Not eligible for one year after return. Tanzania - Not eligible for one year after return. Uganda - Not eligible for one year after return. Argentina None Azerbaijan None Belize None Caribbean NEW! The chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has received increasing attention in North America due to the high volume of travel to and from the Caribbean islands. Individuals who travel to this region during the two weeks before donation are asked to call The Blood Center if they develop unexplained post-donation illness with symptoms consistent with acute tropical infections, including fever, joint pain, headache and rash. Donors who have been diagnosed with CHIKV are not eligible for 28 days after recovery. Bahamas - No deferral. Dominican Republic - Risk in all areas (including tourist resorts of Puerto Plata and Punta Cana) except no risk in cities of Santo Domingo and Santiago only. Travel duration greater than 24 hours to areas other than Santo Domingo or Santiago – 1 year deferral after return. No deferral if donor did not travel outside of the cities of Santo Domingo or Santiago for more than 24 hours. Honduras - Cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa or Island of Roatan for less than 24 hours - No deferral. Other areas or Island of Roatan for more than 24 hours - Not eligible for one year after return. Cruises visiting a port located in a malaria-risk area for less than 24 hours - No deferral. China Large cities and typical tourist areas including Yangtze River cruise - No deferral. Travel to rural, non-tourist areas - Not eligible for one year after return. Colombia Bogotá, Cartagena and Medellin – No deferral. All other areas – Not eligible for one year after return. Costa Rica No deferral Ecuador Large cities in central highlands (Quito, Ambato, Guayaquil, Cuenca) and Galapagos Islands are acceptable - No deferral. El Salvador No deferral Europe No deferral unless stayed for more than six months associated with the military between 1980 and 1996 or stayed for more than five years from 1980 to the present. United Kingdom - No deferral unless stayed for more than three months between 1980 and 1996 or more than five years since 1980 to present. French Cayenne City – No deferral. Guiana All other areas – Not eligible for one year after return. Guatemala Large cities including Antigua, Quiche, Quetzaltenango, Chimaltango, Huehuetenago, San Juan Sacatepequez, Guatemala City and around Lake Atitlan - No deferral. Risk in rural areas - Not eligible for 12 months after return. India Not eligible for 12 months after return. Indonesia Large cities of Jakarta and Ubud, and resorts of Bali, Java, Gili Islands and the Thousand Islands (Pulau Seribu) or less than 24 hours in rural area - No deferral. Travel to rural areas for more than 24 hours – Not eligible for 12 months after return. Mexico Acapulco - No deferral. Cabo San Lucas - No deferral. Calica - No deferral. Cancun - No deferral. Cozumel - No deferral. Isla Mujeres - No deferral. Oaxaca - No deferral. Playa del Carmen - No deferral. Progresso - No deferral. Puerto Vallarta - No deferral. Nicaragua Not eligible for one year after return. Panama Provinces of Cocle, Chiriqui, Herrera, Los Santos, San Miguelito, Panama City and Canal Zone areas are acceptable. Travel to other areas for more than 24 hours - Not eligible for one year after return. Peru Ica, Lima, Arequipa, Puno, Tacna Moquegua, Chincha Alta, Pisco, Nazca, Arequipa, Moquegua, Puno, Tacna and highland tourist areas of Cuzco and Machu Picchu, coastal areas south of Lima and Lake Titicaca, or travel outside of these areas for less than 24 hours – No deferral. Other areas – Not eligible for one year after return. Philippines Large cities - No deferral. Rural areas for more than 24 hours - Not eligible for one year after return. Saudi No deferral. Arabia South All large cities SOUTH of Seoul such as Pusan, Inche’eon, Chonju, Kunsan, Taegu, Korea Teajon, Kwangju, Oktori, No deferral. Areas north of Seoul and along the DMZ/border of North Korea – Not eligible for 2 years after return Singapore No deferral. Venezuela Not eligible for one year after return. Vietnam Large cities of Da Nang, Haiphong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Nha Trang, Qui Nhon, the Mekong Delta and the Red River Delta – No deferral. All other areas for more than 24 hours – Not eligible for one year after return. .

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