I went in to give blood last Tuesday and, after going through all the usual questions about general health and sexual activity, they tacked on "have you been to A, B, C or Toronto since November 2002". November???? Well, yes, I had been home for Christmas so landed in Toronto, and also took a day shopping there ... so I got sat behind a special screen for a nurse to 'speak' to me.

As it happens, this nurse is also Canadian so we had a good gab. Seems that, until the previous Friday, they were only quizzing for people who had been in Toronto (or other infected area) in the last 4 weeks. Red Cross had upped the stakes only in the last 4 days. If I had had ANY sort of cough, cold or flu-like illness since returning, I would have been PERMANENTLY excluded from giving blood!

Coincidentally, I had only just been thinking that I had somehow got through the winter without my usual cold.

Seems to me that permanent exclusion is a bit drastic! I have bog-standard blood so I'm always being asked to come in. If I'd had even a sniffle - as I usually do - they'd have one less donor. There must be a better system.

(Already am permanently excluded from giving in Canada because I've lived in the UK.)

Sheesh.

sian