Does COVID-19 vaccination impact blood donation eligibility?

April 22, 2021 —  This spring as COVID-19 vaccines become more available and people resume some of their favorite activities, the American Red Cross is reminding the public that the need for blood remains. Healthy individuals are encouraged to make a blood donation appointment now. But what about those who’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine – can they donate?

As long as donors are symptom-free, feeling well and can provide the vaccine manufacturer’s name, there’s no waiting period required after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine currently authorized in the U.S. Additional blood donation eligibility information is available at RedCrossBlood.org/Eligibility.

Three reasons not to wait to donate:

• Donors, especially those with type O blood, are needed in May to help ensure blood products are available for patients now and into summer.
• Those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma in May will be automatically entered for a chance to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps five, powered by Suburban Propane.*
• Plus, those who make it in to give May 1-15 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card by email, courtesy of Suburban Propane.**

Schedule an appointment now to give blood and make it a summer full of life for patients. Appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Health insights for donors

The Red Cross is testing blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies. The test may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms. Testing may also identify the presence of antibodies developed after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Plasma from routine blood and platelet donations that test positive for high levels of antibodies may be used as convalescent plasma to meet potential future needs of COVID-19 patients. Convalescent plasma is a type of blood product collected from COVID-19 survivors who have antibodies that may help patients who are actively fighting the virus.

The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, it is important that individuals who do not feel well or believe they may be ill with COVID-19 postpone donation.

At a time when health information has never been more important, the Red Cross is also screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. This additional screening will provide Black donors with an additional health insight and help the Red Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly to help patients with sickle cell disease. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and blood donations from individuals of the same race, ethnicity and blood type have a unique ability to help patients fighting sickle cell disease.

Donors can expect to receive antibody test and sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

Blood drive safety

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face masks for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities May 1-15

Perry

New Straitsville

5/11/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., New Straitsville United Methodist Church, 101 Clark St.

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Athens

Albany

5/4/2021: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Alexander High School, 6091 Ayers Road

Athens

5/4/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Athens County Chapter House, 100 May Ave.

5/4/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., O'Bleness Hospital, 55 Hospital Drive

5/11/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Athens County Chapter House, 100 May Ave.

5/12/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Athens County Chapter House, 100 May Ave.

Nelsonville

5/10/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Stuart's Opera House, 52 Public Square

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Coshocton

Coshocton

5/7/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Roscoe United Methodist Church, 475 High Street

5/12/2021: 1:30 p.m. - 7 p.m., Roscoe United Methodist Church, 475 High Stret

Fresno

5/6/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Ridge View, 33277 SR 643

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Fairfield

Amanda

5/12/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Amanda Fire Department, 211 No. Johns St.

Baltimore

5/6/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Christ United Methodist Church, 700 S. Main Street

Carroll

5/8/2021: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Hope Community Church of the Nazarene, 3570 Coonpath Rd.

Lancaster

5/3/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 343 E. Walnut St.

5/4/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 343 E. Walnut St.

5/6/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 343 E. Walnut St.

5/13/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Lancaster City Council Chambers, 111 S. Broad

Lithopolis

5/1/2021: 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Lithopolis United Methodist Church, 80 N. Market Street

Millersport

5/12/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Millersport Lions Club, 2900 Chautaqua

Pickerington

5/13/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., OhioHealth Pickerington Medical Campus, 1010 Refugee Road

5/13/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Pickerington Church of the Nazarene, 11775 Pickerington Rd. NW

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Fayette

Washington Court House

5/10/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Crossroads Christian Church, 175 Halliday Way

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Guernsey

Cambridge

5/7/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Guernsey County Crossroads Branch Library, 63500 Byesville Road

5/15/2021: 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Cambridge Y.M.C.A., 1341 Clairmont Avenue

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Highland

Greenfield

5/6/2021: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Greenfield McClain High School, 200 N. 5th Street

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Hocking

Logan

5/11/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., St. Matthew Lutheran, 258 Hunter St.

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Licking

Granville

5/3/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Denison University, 100 West College

5/11/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 110 W. Broadway

Hebron

5/6/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Hebron New Life United Methodist Church, 925 West Main ST

Newark

5/4/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Licking Blood Donation Center, 1272 West Main Street, Doctors Park Building 5 - South

5/5/2021: 7 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Licking Memorial Hospital, 1320 West Main Street

5/7/2021: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Licking Blood Donation Center, 1272 West Main Street, Doctors Park Building 5 - South

5/7/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Faith and Family Center, 45 Granville Street

5/11/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Licking Blood Donation Center, 1272 West Main Street, Doctors Park Building 5 - South

5/14/2021: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Licking Blood Donation Center, 1272 West Main Street, Doctors Park Building 5 - South

5/14/2021: 1:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Community Wesleyan Church, 161 Myrtle Avenue

Pataskala

5/9/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Hosanna Lutheran Church, 7714 Hazelton-Etna Road

5/11/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Licking County Family YMCA, 355 West Broad Street

5/13/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Tri Village Christian Church, 7509 E. Broad St SW

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Madison

Plain City

5/13/2021: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., Haven Fellowship Church, 7730 Converse-Huff Road

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Morgan

McConnelsville

5/12/2021: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Morgan High School, 800 Raider Drive

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Muskingum

Duncan Falls

5/5/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Duncan Falls - Philo Lions Club, Wayne Township Hall, 216 Bridge Street

Zanesville

5/1/2021: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Unity Church of the Nazarene, 3095 Maysville Pike

5/3/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Trinity United Presbyterian Church, 830 Military Road

5/5/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Trinity United Presbyterian Church, 830 Military Road

5/10/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Trinity United Presbyterian Church, 830 Military Road

5/11/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Colony Square Mall, 3575 Maple Avenue

5/14/2021: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Zanesville High School, 1701 Blue Avenue

5/15/2021: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., South Zanesville UMC, 53 E Main St

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Noble

Caldwell

5/7/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Community Center, 44187 Fairgrounds Rd

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Perry

New Straitsville

5/11/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., New Straitsville United Methodist Church, 101 Clark St.

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Pickaway

Circleville

5/4/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Pickaway County District Public Library, 1160 North Court Street

5/5/2021: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 135 East Mound Street

5/9/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Amvets Post 2256-Circleville, 818 Tarlton Road

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Ross

Bainbridge

5/6/2021: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Paint Valley High School, 7454 U.S. Route 50

Chillicothe

5/2/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., South Central Ohio Chapter, 181 N Bridge St

5/12/2021: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., South Central Ohio Chapter, 181 N Bridge St

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Vinton

Mc Arthur

5/5/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., McArthur United Methodist Church, 200 S. Market St.

About blood donation

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit  RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass^® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

* Restrictions apply. Winner must provide tow vehicle with the appropriate tow capacity for use with the prize vehicle at all times, i.e., such as a full-sized truck or SUV, in order to take delivery of the prize (2021 Coachmen Clipper Cadet 21CBH, estimated at 5,000 pounds). Additional information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/SummerFullOfLife.

** Restrictions apply. Additional information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/SummerFullOfLife.

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