COVID-19 continues to pose no known risk to individuals through the blood donation process or via blood transfusions. There are no reported cases of transmission of this virus via blood transfusion. No cases of transfusion transmission were ever reported for the other two coronaviruses that emerged during the past two decades (SARS and MERS-CoV).

Blood donation does not impact or weaken a donor’s immune system.

No. Blood donations are NOT tested for coronavirus.

If you are not feeling well, please do not attend a blood donation session.

No, those waiting to be tested, or waiting for a Coronavirus test result cannot donate blood.

Donors with NO previous positive swab result but awaiting swab test results (because of e.g. routine testing / contact tracing) are not allowed to donate. If the swab test is negative, the donor may donate.

Donors with a previous positive swab test, are to repeat the swab test. Donation is possible two weeks after a negative swab result. This is also assuming one is not in mandatory quarantine.

If you have lived with or been in close contact with individuals diagnosed with or suspected of having COVID-19 infection, you should not donate. On the other hand, as long as health professionals are asymptomatic, their job does not affect the donation eligibility of those with whom they live.

Donors working in healthcare are allowed to donate, provided that they have not been in contact with COVID positive patients. Staff working in laboratories, including those performing COVID-19 tests, are allowed to donate.

Definition of contact:​​

• Had a face to face conversation (at less than 1m distance) for more than 1 hr WITH a mask being worn by both the positive case AND the contact
• Spent 1 hour or more in less than 2m distance in the same room / office / ward / closed space as a positive case WITHOUT a mask being worn by both the positive case AND the contact
• Spent 6 hours or more in a distance between 2-5m in the same room / office / ward / closed space as a positive case WITH a mask being worn by both the positive case AND the contact

It is important that we always maintain a sufficient blood supply for patients in need. Although some elective surgeries are being postponed, there are many patients (e.g. post-chemotherapy, or following trauma) depending on transfusions every day.

No. We must limit the number of people coming into the donation centre, so we are asking donors to attend donation sessions unaccompanied.

No. All blood collections must adhere to the usual donor selection guidelines, which are in place to ensure the safety of the donor and the blood being donated. No matter what the situation is, we must maintain the safety and integrity of the blood supply.​​

Yes, those who have fully recovered from COVID-19 are allowed to donate blood 28 days after symptom resolution. In case of asymptomatic infection, 28 days should elapse from the date of the last positive test.

You will be able to come forward to donate blood as soon as you are discharged from quarantine by Public Health.​