Freshly inked Aussies not have to attend 4 months to donate blood, with new analysis discovering donors can roll up their sleeves one week after their tattoo appointment.
From Monday, the wait time to provide blood from newly tatted donors has considerably diminished, doubtlessly contributing to as a lot as 10,000 extra donations every year.
Previously, those that lately acquired a tat may solely make a plasma donation and have been required to attend 1 / 4 of a yr earlier than they may give blood.
But a brand new examine by Lifeblood in partnership with Kirby Institute on the University of NSW has discovered those that are inked at a licensed Australian tattoo parlour or beauty clinic can donate blood a lot sooner.
“Lifeblood is always committed to looking at ways to allow more people to give blood, and we continue to monitor new research and health data and update our deferrals accordingly,” a Lifeblood spokesperson advised news.com.au.
“We want as many Australians as possible to be able to give blood, without compromising safety.”
Researchers collected knowledge and proof from tattooed plasma donors previous to the invention which adopted an earlier examine that discovered individuals who lived within the UK through the ‘mad cow disease’ outbreak may additionally safely donate blood.
Lifeblood government director of donor expertise, Cath Stone, mentioned that with one in 4 Aussies now inked, the change may considerably increase the variety of donors throughout the nation.
“People with tattoos are perfect donors because we know they’re not afraid of needles – one of the biggest barriers for new donors donating blood or plasma for the first time,” she mentioned.
“We want to make sure everyone knows being inked doesn’t disqualify them from donating.”
She added: “Close to 10,000 donors report one or more tattoos a year to lifeblood, so we’re hopeful this rule change could lead to an extra 10,000 blood donations a year.”
Ms Stone additionally hopes the change will educate Australians on the principles round giving blood after a Lifeblood survey discovered 15 per cent of Australians believed having a tattoo meant they couldn‘t donate at all.
The change to blood donation rules for tattooed Australians comes as demand for the lifesaving substance is at its highest level in nearly a decade as hospitals catch-up on surgeries post-pandemic, a spokesperson said. Demand for plasma is also the highest it’s ever been.
“We have around 530,000 generous blood donors serving 25.7 million people. There are now more than three million extra people living in Australia than there were ten years ago, but the number of people who donate hasn’t changed,” the spokesperson mentioned.
“We need others to become donors too. The need for blood doesn’t stop. This week alone we still need an extra 5200 people to donate blood and plasma across the country to help patients in need.”
A current estimate by Lifeblood primarily based on work accomplished with the Kirby Institute discovered simply 2.7 per cent of Australians aged between 18 and 70 donate blood.
“The number of donations in Australia has increased recently but the number of donors (proportionally) has not,” a spokesperson mentioned.
“This is because we have a small army of very committed blood plasma donors who are giving more – about 30,000 who give more than two to three times a year.”
For these concerned with rolling up their sleeves, data on the eligibility standards and the place you possibly can donate blood will be discovered on the Lifeblood web site.
Originally printed as ‘They’re not afraid of needles’: Inked Aussies now in a position to donate blood sooner
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
