Giving Blood and Travel

In some circumstances, travel can become a restriction for giving blood. Apart from the “normal” restriction related to illness and frequency of donating blood, the following guidelines apply to those donors from the UK:

If you have travelled to a malaria zone, you should wait for 12 months before giving blood, unless you have had a malaria antibody test, which has proved negative to malaria.

If you have visited Central or South America at any time, you should advise your blood bank prior to giving blood.

If after travel, you have any disease or undiagnosed illness related to your travels you might be advised not to give blood.

Any person who has travelled to the United States or Canada between 30th June and 30th November might not be able to give blood for 28 days due to the risk of West Nile Virus.

For more information on becoming a blood donor, contact the National Blood Service.