Red Cross Blood Donation Safety Protocols

Donors should call our Donor Support Center at 1-866-236-3276 if they become sick with any illness in the days after their donation.

You must be fully recovered from COVID-19 and symptom-free for a least 10 days before donating blood.

If you have had a positive diagnostic test in the past 10 days for COVID-19 but didn’t have symptoms, you will need to wait 10 days after the COVID-19 test.

If you have a pending COVID-19 diagnostic test for COVID-19, you are not able to donate during this time. Once you have tested negative or been symptom-free for 10 days, you will be eligible to donate blood. 

You may still donate blood, platelets and plasma after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Knowing the name of the manufacturer of the vaccine is important in determining your blood donation eligibility. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and blood donation.

At this time, we are allowing additional guests or children to accompany donors to their donation appointment. Guests are expected to follow our safety protocols such as social distancing. The safety of our donors, volunteers, and employees is of the utmost importance.  Children who do not require supervision and are not disruptive are welcome to sit in the waiting or refreshment area.  If they require supervision another adult must be present.

If you are quarantined for any reason, you are not eligible to donate during the quarantine time period. If you are past the quarantine time and have been symptom-free for 10 days, you will be eligible to donate blood.