Blood donation

[Neilds]

I always thought that too and you're absolutely right in the vast majority of cases.
However.....
O neg is split into 2 groups
O neg
O neg neo
O neg neo is a purer form of blood donation that has no viruses like Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
There is a small group of people who, because of a reduced immune system (eg newly born babies) need the Neo version as their body can't fight CMV so need the Neo neg.
If your donation is O neg neo, your bag gets a blue label attached

View attachment 48598

For those interested, there's more info here...

Special blood for babies

Newborn babies can only be transfused with blood that lacks the cytomegalovirus, this blood is labelled CMV-negative.

www.blood.co.uk

Thanks for this, I noticed a few donations ago that I got a blue tag and wondered what it was for

 

[cliveb]

I used to donate regularly, but many years back I turned up to a session and was told that they'd changed the rules and because I am mildly asthmatic I could no longer donate.
Seems ridiculous as I had never suffered any kind of reaction.

PS. for those with a needle anxiety, my experience was that giving blood was always much less uncomfortable than having a blood sample taken.

 

[Alan Clifford]

I used to donate regularly, but many years back I turned up to a session and was told that they'd changed the rules and because I am mildly asthmatic I could no longer donate.
Seems ridiculous as I had never suffered any kind of reaction.

PS. for those with a needle anxiety, my experience was that giving blood was always much less uncomfortable than having a blood sample taken.

I remember when they used to stab your thumb with a miniature ice pick.