Memorial Blood Centers is committed to the safety of our donors, volunteers, employees and blood recipients, and to transparency with the public during throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure our community is prepared to support patients, hospitals, and health agencies in our communities, we urge individuals who feel healthy and well to make an appointment to give blood, platelets, or plasma.
If you are feeling healthy and well* and meet general eligibility guidelines, please schedule your donation now to help ensure a stable blood supply.
Memorial Blood Centers (MBC) is committed to the safety of our donors, volunteers, employees and blood recipients, and to transparency with the public during this evolving public health emergency.
In order to ensure a safe, controlled donation environment, social distancing guidelines and additional cleaning protocols are in effect at all donation sites. We ask blood donors and staff to stay home if they are not feeling well. MBC actively monitors transmission rates and adjust policies accordingly. At this time, face masks are welcome but not required.
There is no data or evidence that this coronavirus can be transmitted by blood transfusion. In fact, there have been no reported cases of transfusion-transmission for any respiratory virus, including this coronavirus. It is safe to donate blood, and we encourage healthy individuals to donate so that blood is available for patients in need.
Valid as of April 1, 2022.
If you have donated recently and you develop symptoms of COVID-19 or you test positive for COVID-19, please contact us at 1-888-235-3301. If you are unsure whether to donate, please contact us at 1-844-213-5219.
No. At this time, face masks are welcome but not required.
If you received an mRNA vaccine such as Pfizer or Moderna, or an adenovirus vaccine such as Johnson & Johnson’s, you may donate blood, platelets, or regular plasma immediately after vaccination as long as you are feeling well and all other donor criteria are met.
In order to ensure a safe, controlled donation environment, social distancing guidelines and additional cleaning protocols are in effect at all donation sites. We ask blood donors and staff to stay home if they are not feeling well. We are asking donors to schedule appointments ahead of time rather than walking in to donate, spacing out donor beds, and monitoring social distancing in waiting areas. Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are also available at all locations.
We ask each donor about recent travel to regions where there is a higher risk for transfusion transmitted infections such as malaria and CJD. FDA has not established this same kind of requirement for the coronavirus since it is not known to be transmitted by blood. However, individuals who are told by public health officials to self-quarantine due to travel-related coronavirus exposure should not donate blood while they are in quarantine status. This is for the protection of our staff and other blood donors.
If you have traveled domestically and have been fully vaccinated (i.e., it has been at least 2 weeks since your final dose) or had laboratory confirmed COVID-19 in the last 3 months, there is no need to test or quarantine upon return from domestic travel as long as you do not have any COVID symptoms. If you have not been fully vaccinated and are not within 3 months of COVID recovery, CDC still recommends self-quarantine as follows. You may donate after completion of your self-quarantine:
No. Donating blood is safe. We always use new, sterile needles that are discarded after use.
All donated blood, including donations from repeat donors, is tested for blood type, hepatitis, HIV, syphilis, and other transfusion transmissible diseases.
No, Memorial Blood Centers does not test for COVID-19 or COVID-19 antibodies.
There is no evidence that coronaviruses are transmissible by blood transfusion. Furthermore, pre-donation screening procedures are designed to prevent donations from people with symptoms of respiratory illnesses.
It’s important for eligible blood and platelet donors to give today so that the community has a strong blood supply. Blood is a critical component of emergency preparedness because it’s perishable and the supply must be constantly replenished. The blood that’s on the shelf now is the blood that will save lives if there’s an emergency.
It is important for healthy donors to donate now to build up our reserves now so that we have enough blood available to withstand any temporary shortages and help those in need.
Thank you for your interest in convalescent plasma donation. MBC is no longer collecting convalescent plasma, as of 3/17/21. In the event of a need for more convalescent plasma, MBC will contact donors.
