What you need to know
- It’s safe to donate blood after getting a COVID-19 vaccine, despite what some vaccine opponents say online.
- Questions about your vaccination status before donating are standard and have nothing to do with the safety of vaccines.
- Blood donation saves lives and is especially needed right now.
Social media posts have been spreading misleading claims about the safety of donating blood after COVID-19 vaccination. However, the American Red Cross and other blood donation organizations have debunked those myths and confirmed that it’s safe to donate blood after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Read on to learn why blood donors are asked about their vaccination status and why it’s important to donate blood right now.
Is it safe to donate blood after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes. Despite what some recent social media posts have falsely claimed, it is safe to donate blood after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. In a May 29 statement, the American Red Cross confirmed that COVID-19 vaccines don’t make you ineligible to donate blood and that it’s safe to receive vaccinated people’s blood.
Potential donors are asked whether they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 and from which manufacturer because according to Food and Drug Administration guidance, people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine with a live virus should wait two weeks before donating—but none of the COVID-19 vaccines approved in the U.S. contain a live virus. Additionally, several organizations have confirmed that receiving a blood transfusion from a donor who’s vaccinated against COVID-19 is safe, can’t change a recipient’s DNA, and can’t lead to a COVID-19 infection.
Why are potential blood donors asked about COVID-19 vaccination status?
The questions are standard and have nothing to do with the safety of vaccines. Because of the FDA’s requirements, blood donation organizations want to know whether you received a vaccine with a live virus because there is a risk that the live weakened virus contained in some vaccines could be passed through the blood.
The waiting period for those vaccines doesn’t mean they’re unsafe: It just means that people should wait—typically, two to eight weeks—as a precaution.
Why is it important to donate blood right now?
Earlier this year, the Red Cross said there’s an emergency blood shortage in the U.S. and that the number of blood donors reached a 20-year low. Blood donation saves lives, and according to several blood donation organizations, everyone “should feel confident that receiving a blood transfusion is safe. COVID-19 vaccines do not replicate, and all blood donations offer the same life-saving therapeutic benefits, regardless of the vaccination status of the donor.”
This article is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award to the CDC Foundation totaling $69,392,486 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government. In addition, the CDC Foundation does not guarantee and is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of information or content contained in this article. Moreover, the CDC Foundation expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on any information contained within this article. This article are not intended as, and should not be interpreted by you as, constituting or implying the CDC Foundation’s endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation of the information, products, or services found therein.