There are steps in place to ensure Ebola doesn’t spread in central Illinois through a, perhaps, unusual method.
Ebola is spread through contact with bodily fluids, such as blood. The Central Illinois Community Blood Center’s Tara Matheson says she’s counting on honesty from potential donors.
“We are asking donors… if you’ve been told by public health authorities that you may have been exposed to a patient with Ebola, that you not donate for at least 28 days,” she says.
Matheson says donors who have traveled to West Africa recently are automatically barred because of malaria concerns. Should someone lie, Matheson says all donations are run through 14 FDA-mandated tests.