donating blood during covid-19: is it safe?
giving blood is not only safe, it's badly needed. and if you have had covid-19, canadian blood services wants you.
3 minute read
donating blood can still be done safely during the pandemic.
getty
at the start of the pandemic the message was loud and clear: stay home, if you can, in order to curb the spread of covid-19. elective surgeries and dentist visits were postponed, doctor appointments went virtual, and many of us did not see loved ones for months. even though prime minister justin trudeau encouraged canadians to donate blood back in march, not everyone felt safe doing so. but now, months into the pandemic, business and services are used to operating with safety measures in place — including canadian blood services. so is it safe to donate blood during the covid-19 pandemic? here’s what you need to know about donating blood now.
is it safe to donate blood?
for those who have donated blood before, you’ll be familiar with the screening process and health measures that happen with every donation. expect those — times 10.enhanced health and safety measures are in place at all blood donation centres, tracy smith, the director of donor relations at canadian blood services, says. these include mandatory mask wearing for staff and donors, frequent cleaning of all surfaces, and chairs and checkpoints set up with physical distancing in place. hand sanitizer is also on site. plus, walk-ins are no longer allowed, and only people with scheduled appointments can donate. “before a donor can even enter our facility, we are having them complete a wellness questionnaire,” smith says. “once they complete that, we also take their temperature.”can covid-19 spread through blood?
there is no strong evidence that covid-19 can be transmitted through a blood donation. covid-19 mostly spreads through respiratory droplets from close contact with an infected person. this means if you breathe in someone’s infectious droplets after they cough, sneeze, laugh or sing, you can contract the virus. it is also possible to contract covid-19 from contaminated surfaces, but many experts question how much of a risk that is. handwashing is a smart way to reduce the risk. the world health organization (who) says covid-19 has not been reported to be transmitted through blood or blood components. the who even points to a small study where “blood components collected from donors in the pre-symptomatic phase of covid-19 did not transmit the infection” to those who received their blood donations. canadian blood services says the same. because covid-19 is primarily a respiratory virus — with potential to infect the digestive system — people get the virus when they inhale or ingest it, not through a blood transfusion. “blood cells don’t have the binding sites covid-19 is looking for,” canadian blood services explains on its website. “the virus is focused on attacking the respiratory and digestive systems.”if you can, your should donate blood
smith says that for people who are healthy and able to donate blood, it’s important that they do so. blood and blood products have an expiration date, she says, meaning the blood service can’t “stock the shelves” as you would with other health supplies.“we’re open and we always need donors,” smith says. “people are still having surgeries. people still need blood products for their day-to-day conditions. it’s an ongoing thing.”can i still donate blood if i had covid-19?
the short answer is yes, but there are some rules and health measures to keep in mind.people who tested positive for covid-19, or have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for covid-19, cannot donate blood for 14 days after the infected person’s recovery. this means you need to have recovered, and then wait at least two weeks before heading to the the blood bank. if you have recently left the country, you need to self-isolate per government guidelines and refrain from any blood donation for at least 14 days upon your return. canadian blood services says this includes travellers returning from the u.s., europe and antarctica, but for folks coming back from other places, they need to wait at least 21 days.what’s more, if you have recovered for covid-19, smith says that canadian blood services is interested in your convalescent plasma. “we are part of the health canada approved clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness of covid-19 convalescent plasma as a possible treatment for patients with the virus,” she says. the goal of the trial is to help determine if plasma from recovered patients is an effective way to treat people currently infected with the virus. one u.s. study suggests convalescent plasma can help treat covid-19 patients, but more research is needed, experts say.do i still get cookies after i donate blood?
don’t fret: salty and sweet snacks, as well as juice, are still available for donors after they finish giving blood. don’t miss the latest on covid-19, reopening and life. subscribe to healthing’s daily newsletter covid life.share story
