Latest news, weather and high school sports for Albany and Southwest Georgia

ALBANY, GA --
In our Facebook story of the day, you wanted to know what the restrictions are on blood donations?

The Red Cross blood donation center wants more donations, but they don't want you to disqualify yourself. Some people don't donate because of the medication they're on, however officials say before making that call, come in and get evaluated.

Donor April Palmer says "also people think that just because they have maybe blood pressure issues or diabetes that they cannot give that's not necessarily true."

A person can face restrictions when it comes to traveling to a malaria zone, having certain cancers, having hepatitis, or if you recently received blood during surgery.

When it comes to tattoos, what is the rule of thumb?

Team supervisor Lena Thomas at the blood center says "all those things are like a said are on an individual basis with different requirements for different things. So it all depends on that person and where they had that tattoo."

The Red Cross website says that in some cases you may have to wait 12 months after getting a tattoo. And if you got a piercing recently, they may question the needles used to see if you have to be deferred.

" Most of the population is O positive and we need all of the O's to come out and o negative is the is known as the universal donor and the blood type we give in emergencies. It is known of the universal blood type" says Lena Thomas.

If you want more information when it comes to donating log on to the redcross.org for more information.