The Zika virus has not reached Kern County but 31 people have been reportedly diagnosed throughout the United States.
Local blood donation centers said that they have not made changes to their screening process to account for the Zika virus and are waiting for FDA and/or CDC to call for additional protocol.
"As a country, I think we are very viligant on these types of issues and I think we make decisions on the side of caution, so I am very encouraged by the CDC and FDA making a prudent and cautious decision moving forward," said Greg Gallion, President and CEO of Houchin Community Blood Bank.
Grifols Healthcare Company, which owns plasma donation center Biomat USA in Bakersfield, also says that they aren't changing their already rigorous screening until the FDA says so.
The FDA is currently considering whether or not to change their blood donation policies.
There have been 31 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the United States. On Wednesday, a person in Los Angeles was diagnosed with the virus.
The virus is transmitted by the Aedes species of mosquitos and it bites during the day.
