In keeping with updated CDC guidance, masks will be required for all donors, staff and guests, at all Vitalant blood drives and facilities regardless of vaccination status. Thank you for your understanding, and let's continue to save lives together!

All donors, regardless of vaccination status, are needed for blood, platelet and plasma donations. Read our COVID-19 FAQs.

Updated mask policy

Effective Aug. 9, in keeping with updated CDC guidance, masks will be required for all donors, staff and guests, at all Vitalant blood drives and facilities regardless of vaccination status. Thank you for your understanding, and let's continue to save lives together!

The safety of donors, patients, staff and our volunteers is Vitalant’s top priority. Vitalant continues to follow rigorous safety and cleaning protocols, including:

  • Observing social distancing guidelines where possible.
  • Wearing gloves and changing/sanitizing them between donors.
  • Staff washing their hands frequently, before and after any donor contact and after removing gloves.
  • Wiping down donor-touched and other high-touch areas often and after every collection.
  • Requiring staff to diligently monitor for symptoms, stay home when they are ill or suspect illness.
 
Please do not donate blood if you are not feeling well. Blood donors are NOT tested to diagnose active coronavirus infection.

If you've received any COVID-19 vaccine, you may still give blood or platelets if you meet all general blood donation eligibility criteria.
 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The FDA, which sets blood safety standards in the U.S., allows people vaccinated with non-live vaccines to give blood without a waiting period. All currently authorized vaccines in the U.S. are non-live vaccines.
 
The human body contains about 10 pints of blood and about 1 pint is given with a blood donation. The antibodies within a blood donation are rapidly replaced by the immune system and will not affect the donor’s immune response to COVID-19 or variants.
 
COVID-19 continues to pose no known risk to patients receiving blood transfusions. There are no reported cases of transmission of this virus via blood transfusion. There is no inherent risk of getting coronavirus from the donation procedure itself.
 
Vitalant requires that people with a lab-diagnosed COVID-19 infection, or those who suspect they may have had COVID-19 but weren’t tested, wait at least 14 days after resolution of their symptoms before donating for the community blood supply.
 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - MASKS

To support a safe environment, effective Aug. 9, masks are required for donors, staff and guests at Vitalant blood drives and facilities regardless of vaccination status. Thank you for your understanding as we all continue to navigate through this pandemic.
              o Vitalant continues to follow CDC and OSHA guidance when determining our COVID-19 safety policies.
              o The CDC’s latest guidance on July 27 recommends masks for vaccinated individuals indoors in high-risk areas as well as for those unvaccinated.
              o Like other blood services providers, Vitalant made the decision to err on the side of safety and require masks for everyone at this time.
              o Vitalant will continue to have masks available for those who need one.

Thank you for your support of our lifesaving mission. At this time, we ask you to postpone your donation until guidance changes.
No. We ask that you wear a mask or reasonable cloth-based face covering. The CDC does not recommend using a face shield as a substitute. Also, masks with valves are not permitted.