Can you donate blood after getting a COVID vaccine? What to know about eligibility
Health care systems across the nation have suffered from blood shortages since the beginning of the pandemic, and although supplies have balanced out since then, some hospitals are still dealing with concerning deficits.
But now that millions of Americans are getting vaccinated against COVID-19, health care professionals want the public to know it’s OK to donate your blood after getting jabbed.
The American Red Cross said anyone who has received the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines can donate their blood at any point after vaccination with no waiting period, as long as they are symptom-free and feeling well at the time of their appointment.
However, Oneblood, a donation service in the Tampa Bay, South, Southeast and Central Florida area, said adults who were vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson shot must wait two weeks before donating blood. The company did not specify why.
‘Essential to help save lives’
Be prepared to provide the manufacturer name of the shot you received to the blood donation center, the Red Cross says. This information can be found on the COVID-19 vaccination record card given to you after your first dose. If you lose your card, there are other options to confirm the manufacturer of your vaccine.
“Great news: if you receive the vaccine, you can still donate blood, platelets and AB Elite plasma!,” the Red Cross said in February. “Donating blood is essential to help save lives and support the efforts of those on the frontlines of the pandemic.”
The organization follows Food and Drug Administration guidance, which also says people who received a nonreplicating, inactivate or mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, including Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, can donate blood without a waiting period.
The FDA notes that respiratory viruses such as the novel coronavirus are not known to be spread through blood transfusions, and that those who are infected should refrain from donating blood for at least 14 days until symptoms are gone.
However, the Red Cross said vaccinated people are not allowed to donate convalescent plasma — blood from recovered COVID-19 patients that contains antibodies — at this time.
“The Red Cross is working as quickly as possible to evaluate this change — as it may involve complex system updates. Please know, the Red Cross is committed to building a readily available inventory of convalescent plasma to ensure patients battling COVID-19 have all treatment options available to them.”
‘Emergency low levels’
In October, the American Association of Blood Banks, American Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers issued a joint statement saying the nation’s blood supply was “critically low” and that the majority of blood centers were “reporting significant declines” in their collections.
While millions were staying away from medical centers out of fear of coronavirus infection, patients undergoing surgeries and organ transplants, as well as people who were involved in car accidents and other emergencies, needed blood products to help them recover.
And because schools, businesses and community organizations were closed for the majority of last year, the Red Cross had more than 50,000 blood drives canceled, which affected more than 1 million donation appointments, the organization told Market Watch in December.
Bloodworks Northwest, a research institute and blood bank that provides 95% of blood supplies to hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, announced last week that its supplies of Type O Positive blood hovers at “emergency low levels,” while transfusions are occurring at 110% of normal average, according to a statement emailed to McClatchy News.
“This shortage has left our community’s blood supply below the operational level needed to meet patient needs. Adding to this pressure is concern that some donors may be still confused about whether they can donate blood soon after receiving their COVID-19 vaccination, leading them to delay donations unnecessarily,” Bloodworks said in the statement. “Donating blood is a critical activity and there is no reason to delay donating after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.”
When there is a shortage of Type O+ blood, a ripple effect begins that later depletes Type O Negative blood, the company said. This can have harmful consequences because Type O- blood is considered a universal donor in that it can be given to any patient suffering from trauma while health care professionals work to determine the person’s blood type.
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