Yes, once you are fully recovered and have been symptom-free for at least 10 days, the American Red Cross says you can donate blood. If you tested positive but never had symptoms, wait 10 days from the date of the test. After a COVID shot from Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax or Janssen/J&J, there is no wait as long as you have no symptoms or fever. Rules can differ a little between blood centers, so check with yours when you book.
How long do I wait to donate blood after having COVID?
The Red Cross rule is simple: you must be fully recovered from COVID-19 and symptom-free for at least 10 days before you donate. The 10 days start when your last symptom goes away, not when you first got sick.
This matches what the FDA suggests to blood centers: waiting at least 10 days after symptoms have completely resolved. The FDA words this as something a blood center's doctor may choose to use, so a center other than the Red Cross could set its own wait. Ask when you book.
- Had symptoms: wait until you feel fully well, then count 10 more days with no symptoms.
- Positive test, no symptoms: wait 10 days from the date of the positive test.
- Waiting on a test result: if it comes back negative and you have no symptoms, you can donate. If it comes back positive, wait 10 days from the test or 10 days from when your symptoms fully cleared, whichever is longer.
- In quarantine: you can't donate during the quarantine. After it ends, you can donate once you've had no symptoms for 10 days.
How do I count the 10 days?
Count full days with no symptoms at all. Say your fever broke on Monday and your sore throat and cough were gone by Wednesday. Thursday is your first full symptom-free day, so day 10 is the Saturday of the next week. Plan to donate after that, as long as nothing comes back, and confirm with the blood center when you book.
If you never had symptoms, count 10 days from the date of your positive test.
Count the slowest symptom, not the fastest. A cough that brings up phlegm is a reason to wait under Red Cross rules even if your fever is long gone. If you aren't sure whether a leftover symptom counts, tell the staff at the donation site. They will check your temperature and ask about your health before you donate.
Can I donate blood after a COVID vaccine or booster?
Usually yes, with no wait. The Red Cross accepts donors right after a non-replicating, inactivated or RNA-based COVID-19 vaccine made by Janssen/J&J, Moderna, Novavax or Pfizer, as long as you have no symptoms and no fever.
If the shot left you with a fever, chills or body aches, wait until those are gone. Donors must be in good health and have a normal temperature on the day they give.
The wait is 2 weeks in 2 cases: if you got a live attenuated COVID-19 vaccine, or if you don't know what type of COVID vaccine you got. If you aren't sure which one you had, check your vaccine record before you book.
- Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax, Janssen/J&J: no wait if symptom-free and fever-free.
- Live attenuated COVID vaccine: wait 2 weeks.
- Not sure which type you got: wait 2 weeks.
- Flu or RSV shot: also acceptable to the Red Cross if you have no symptoms or fever.
Can COVID spread through donated blood?
According to the FDA, respiratory viruses in general are not known to spread through blood transfusion, and there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 spreading this way anywhere in the world. The FDA does not recommend testing routine blood donors for COVID-19.
So the wait isn't about the virus getting into the blood supply. Under FDA rules, every donor must be in good health and have a normal temperature on the day they donate, and the wait helps make sure you are fully over the illness first.
When should you get care?
In an emergency, call 911Call your clinician the same day if your COVID symptoms are severe or worrying to you, or are getting worse instead of better. If you have a condition that raises your risk of severe COVID, get care promptly, since treatment may lower that risk.
Call 911 if you have trouble breathing, pain or pressure in your chest that won't go away, new confusion, trouble waking up or staying awake, or lips, nail beds or skin that look pale, gray or blue.
After donating, if you feel dizzy, lie down and raise your feet. If the dizziness doesn't pass or you faint, get medical help right away.
How our AI doctor decides when to send you to care ›Am I well enough to donate after COVID?
Feeling well on the day matters as much as the calendar. The Red Cross asks you to wait if you have a fever, a cough that brings up phlegm, or you just don't feel well that day. The Red Cross says a temperature above 99.5 F means you can't donate, and staff check your temperature before you give.
If you are still tired, short of breath or not back to normal weeks later, you may not be fully recovered yet. The Red Cross rule asks for full recovery, so talk with a clinician or the blood center before booking. If you're not sure whether a lingering symptom counts, our AI doctor can help you sort out what to ask.
- Weigh at least 110 lbs and be 17 or older (16 with parent consent where state law allows).
- Wait at least 56 days between whole blood donations.
- After you donate: drink an extra 4 glasses (8 oz each) of non-alcoholic fluids, and skip heavy exercise or lifting for the rest of the day.
- If you feel dizzy or lightheaded afterward, stop, lie down and raise your feet until it passes.
Common questions
Can I donate blood after COVID?
Yes, once you are fully recovered and have had no symptoms for at least 10 days, per the American Red Cross. If you tested positive without symptoms, wait 10 days from the test date. Other blood centers may use slightly different rules, so check when you book.
Do I need a negative COVID test before I donate?
The Red Cross rule is based on time and symptoms, and it doesn't ask for a negative test. The FDA does not recommend COVID-19 lab tests to screen routine blood donors. If you are waiting on a test result, the Red Cross rules for pending tests apply.
I had COVID with no symptoms. When can I donate?
Wait 10 days from the date of your positive test. If symptoms show up after the test, the Red Cross rule for people with symptoms applies: wait until you are fully recovered and have had no symptoms for at least 10 days.
Can I donate blood the same day as my COVID booster?
Usually yes, if it was a Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax or Janssen/J&J shot and you have no symptoms or fever. If you don't know what type of COVID vaccine you got, the Red Cross asks you to wait 2 weeks.
I still have a lingering cough after COVID. Can I donate?
The Red Cross asks you to be fully recovered and symptom-free for at least 10 days, and to wait if your cough brings up phlegm. A cough left over from COVID is still a symptom, so the 10 days may not have started yet. If a cough is hanging on for weeks, check with a clinician, and ask the blood center before you book.
Someone I live with has COVID. Can I still donate?
If you are in quarantine, you can't donate until it ends. The Red Cross FAQ doesn't give a separate rule for exposure without quarantine, so if you feel well and have no symptoms, ask the blood center when you book.
Pymander is not a replacement for a physician and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions about a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.