Red Cross Does Not Consider COVID-19 Jab Receivers Ineligible for Blood Donation

The American Red Cross allows people who have had influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations to donate blood.

A screenshot taken on the mobile application of the American Red Cross, of a page showing the registration questionnaire for blood donation, has gone viral on social media.

What are people claiming?: The screenshot asks potential donors about the vaccination status with respect to COVID-19, prompting people to call the organisation to confirm their eligibility to donate blood.

• Those sharing the screenshot have claimed that the Red Cross is asking people about receiving the vaccination as it affects people's blood donation eligibility, questioning whether it is really as "safe and effective" as the authorities previously claimed.

This claim has gone viral across social media platforms. (Archived versions of some similar posts can be seen here, here, here, and here.)

But...?: The claim is misleading.

• The American Red Cross clarified that receiving the COVID-19 vaccination will not make people ineligible from donating blood, and blood collected from vaccinated people is safe for transfusion.

How did we find out?: The screenshot carries the words 'RapidPass' on the top, along with the logo for the American Red Cross.

• On their website, we found that RapidPass is a section on the Red Cross' smartphone application which enables potential blood donors to:

  • Read about donation requirements,

  • Get information on precautions,

  • Answer questionnaires to check eligibility,

  • Register an appointment for blood or platelet donation.

• It was launched in 2015 to help donors save time and facilitate convenient blood donation.

Eligibility for blood donation: On the same page, we were able to go through the pre-donation reading materials offered to donors before registration.

• Here, the organisation lists multiple conditions for donations, which include sexual contact, blood transfusions, and other "activities that increase risk."

• The same section also mentions a list of various medication, and suggests a certain number of days next to each of them, advising donors to delay their donation if they are on any of the listed drugs.

• Neither of these sections mention the coronavirus or the COVID-19 vaccine.

• After one completes reading the provided materials, the page leads the user to a questionnaire for donation.

• Here, the tenth question asks potential donors whether they have received any vaccinations in the past eight weeks.

• It clearly states that influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are acceptable as long as the donor has "no symptoms on the day of donation."

• After answering several questions about health and sexual history, the page shows the question in the viral claim, where the alert at the bottom of the screen asks potential donors to call the organisation to check donation eligibility.

COVID-19 Vaccinations and Blood Donations: The American Red Cross' website has a dedicated page for COVID-19 vaccines and blood donations, which carries information for commonly asked questions.

• This part also discusses how people vaccinated for COVID-19 may have to defer (delay) donation, depending on the kind of vaccine they received.

• It states that there is "no deferral time for eligible blood donors" vaccinated with "inactivated or RNA based" vaccines manufactured by AstraZeneca, Janssen/Johnson&Johnson, Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer.

• However, it mentions that people who received a "live attenuated COVID-19 vaccine" or those who do not know which vaccine they received would have to "wait two weeks" before donating blood.

The organisation does not say anywhere on its website, that people who have received any COVID-19 vaccine are ineligible to donate blood.

American Red Cross clarifies: On their Facebook page, the organisation shared a post addressing the viral claim.

• It read, "The American Red Cross wants to remind the public that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine does not make you ineligible to donate blood and blood donations from those who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 are safe for transfusion."

Conclusion: The viral claim is misleading. The American Red Cross does not consider people who have received any COVID-19 vaccination as ineligible for donating blood.

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