Immunisation - Live

Must not donate if:
a) Less than eight weeks from administration.

b) The inoculation site has not yet healed.

If more than four weeks from administration of a live immunisation other than smallpox immunisation and the inoculation site has healed, accept.

Smallpox Immunisation
Tuberculosis

Live immunisations use living viruses or living bacteria that will stimulate the immune system but do not normally cause a severe illness. They may however cause severe illness in people who are already unwell and have a weakened immune system. By four weeks, any infection caused by the immunisation should have been controlled and so should not be passed on through donated material. There are special rules for smallpox immunisations.

This entry is compliant with the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005.

Advice has been given from SACTTI that a period of four weeks is sufficient to ensure that there would be no circulating virus at time of blood or component donation for live immunisations other than smallpox.

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