Confused about facts...

[CJones]

I was donating blood and was all set up with the needle inserted and donation going and then the person donating next to me finished. The phlebotomist was tearing down his station and I wasn’t paying too much attention, but something hit my arm that had my needle inserted and she apologized and then continued cleaning his station. I didn’t see what it was, but if it was something contaminated with his blood and hit where my exposed needle was, would that put me at risk? Or no, since the needle was already injected into my arm? I’m getting confused trying to sort through the facts. It sort of looks like it’s no risk, but again, I figured I’d ask someone who knows more than myself. Thank you.

[Lynn K]

Very, very unlikely. You don’t know what brushed your arm. Your wound from the blood draw needle is essentially sealed from entry. Most people donating are healthy at least to the best of their knowledge. Less than 4% of the population has hep c. Had you received a needle stick from someone with known hep c your odds of infection are about 1.8%

Thanks for supporting your community through your donation to your local blood bank.

[CJones]

Thank you so much for your quick response!

What do you mean the wound is essentially sealed?

[Lynn K]

From what I understood from your suscripción the wound of your needle site is blocked by the needle still being in the place. To enter your blood stream you need to have an open fresh wet weeping wound. So say the needle had just been removed and then some how blood landed on that fresh open wound. But even it that were the case the odds would still be negligible. Hep c infected blood needs to enter the blood stream of an uninfected person to be transmitted.

[CJones]

Ohhhhh, I understand what you mean. Yes, you’re correct, the needles was in place. What about when they removed it? Am I correct that it pretty much needs to be forced in to enter the bloodstream as well? That’s part of where I was getting confused with my facts.

I also think I’m extra anxious with all of this craziness in the world right now, so thank you for bearing with me.

All in all, if this were you, would you be concerned at all?

[Lynn K]

Hepatitis C infected blood must enter the blood stream of an uninfected person. As I mentioned even if you were to have an accidental needle stick where the needle had just been used on a person with known hep c the odds of transmission are only 1.8%

So no I wouldn’t worry about this.

Stay safe out there was your hands

[CJones]

Ok! So you wouldn’t even worry about testing from this?

[Lynn K]

No, I personally wouldn’t give it a second thought or even a first thought really.

If you need more assurance for your own piece of mind wait a minimum of 12 weeks after this occurred and have the hep c antibody test.

Just to add hep c is not easily contracted, less than 4% of the US population has hep c and that amount is shrinking every day. Also, with the introduction of new meds approved since 2014 hep c is now nearly curable for over than 98% of patients with simple well tolerated treatments,