How gay men are being kept from helping fight the pandemic.
A growing number of same gender loving men are taking to social media and the mainstream media to vocalize their opposition to public health guidelines that prevent men who have sex with men from donating blood. As scientists race to understand the novel coronavirus, some researchers are looking at the possibility of using the antibodies generated by people who've successfully fought off COVID 19. However, the World Health Organization is has reported in the past that some people may become ill again once reinfected with the virus.
Although the FDA has commenced a study that could lead to the removal of a lifetime ban on donating blood for men who have sex with other men they've also issued an emergency for blood banks to accept men who've abstained from same-gender relations for 3 months. The deferral period was previously 12 months.
Although all communities encounter illnesses at a higher rate disproportionately to others, however, LGBT Americans possess a very intimate relationship to pandemics made worse by failed governmental leadership and stigma. Donald Trump's inclination to minimize the severity of the COVID 19 sadly is reminiscent of former President Ronald Reagan's reluctance to even publicly acknowledge HIV the virus that causes AIDS if untreated.
Even now when scientific leaders and veterans of past viral flashpoints like Dr. Anthony Fauci are silenced and prevented from sharing what they know, we can be sure that the effects of coronavirus life every other poorly managed epidemic will be with us for a generation.
