COVID- 19 Vaccine Info

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Last Updated: April 3, 2023

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Where Can I Find Info About Blood Donations And The COVID-19 Vaccine?

To view the latest frequently asked questions regarding blood donation and the COVID-19 vaccine, click below.

Questions About Blood Donations And COVID-19

Does LifeStream still require a donor to wear a mask/face covering?

LifeStream Blood Bank has lifted the mask requirement for donors only. Mask-wearing is optional for donors at all LifeStream facilities. Our employees and volunteers will continue to wear face coverings until further notice.

How do I know whether I’m eligible to give blood? Where can I go to get the latest information?

Only healthy people can give blood. In light of emerging information about COVID-19 (Coronavirus), LifeStream is constantly updating our eligibility criteria as new information emerges from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and blood bank industry leaders. Please visit our website for the latest donation eligibility information: https://www.lstream.org/covid-19/

We are sharing the latest information about COVID-19 with our donors and the public via our website, various communications (like email, text, phone calls) and social media.

I Have An Appointment To Give Blood Soon…

Should I keep it?

Yes! We ask you to keep your commitment to donate blood as long as you are feeling healthy and meet all other eligibility requirements the day you donate, including those related to COVID-19.

As hospitals are beginning to resume more “normal” activities, the need for blood has already begun to increase. Hospital patients rely on blood donors every day. There is no other source for lifesaving blood.

It is vital we keep our blood supply strong. Blood has a short shelf life and must be continually replenished.

Misconceptions About Blood Donations And COVID-19

Can people get COVID-19 from a blood transfusion?

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.

No cases of transfusion-transmission were ever reported for the other two coronaviruses that emerged during the past two decades (SARS and MERS-CoV).

If I give blood, will it weaken my immune system to fight off COVID-19?

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

Blood Donation And COVID-19

Should I donate blood to get tested for COVID-19?

No. There currently is no test available for blood donations that screens for COVID-19 and the virus that causes it. If you are not feeling well, please do not donate; LifeStream does NOT test for COVID-19.

What should I do if I feel fine when I donate blood but then start feeling sick later?

Please contact us immediately at the phone number listed on your post-donation instructions.

How Can I Protect Myself Against COVID-19?

To reduce the risk of infection, the CDC recommends:

Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Avoiding touching the eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
Cleaning high-touch objects and surfaces
Staying home if feeling sick

If You Can Be Asymptomatic And Contagious, How Do You Know Your Staff Are Healthy?

Do you test your staff for COVID-19? Do you take the temperature of your staff members to see if they’re sick? Are you enforcing self-quarantine for your staff?

There is currently no reliable, timely test available to identify the number of healthy individuals who are completely asymptomatic and contagious. Our staff follow rigorous protocols to lower the risk of transmission at donation sites.
Our staff are required to stay home if they feel sick and they must self-quarantine if exposed to an individual who is diagnosed with COVID-19. Further, our staff are screened every day for COVID-19-related symptoms and temperature checked before they start work, and are required to leave work if they feel any symptoms during the day.

Do Your Staff Members Wear Masks?

Masks are optional for employees and volunteers.

I’m Worried If I Give Blood That I Might Get COVID-19 At The Blood Drive/Donation Center

What is LifeStream doing to protect me?

We are deeply appreciative of those who support the critical public health need of a safe and available blood supply. The health and safety of our blood donors is paramount.

We strongly encourage social distancing when possible.
Only healthy people are encouraged to give blood. In fact, donors must be feeling well and free of illness symptoms, including fever, to be eligible to donate.
All potential blood donors are screened “at the door” for COVID-19-related symptoms.
People who meet certain at-risk criteria for COVID-19 are deferred ahead of time from donating.
We are limiting the amount of people permitted in the donor centers and mobile drives. We may ask you to leave a mobile phone number and wait in your car until your turn is called.
Our staff wear gloves and personal protective gear and they wipe down donor-touched areas often and after every collection using a disinfectant.
Staff use sterile, single-use collection sets for each donor and scrub the donor’s arm for 30 seconds before the collection.
Staff who don’t feel well are required to stay home.
In addition to the vigorous FDA-mandated testing of all blood components donated, LifeStream staff follows rigorous safety and sterilization protocol within our mobile and fixed donation centers. This is part of our commitment to our donors – safety from reception to collection to the end product.