For months, publications shared on social networks have suggested that vaccination against Covid-19 would prevent people from donating blood or organs. “This information is false: do not relay it! We accept all blood donors, vaccinated or not,” the French Blood Establishment (EFS) responded on Twitter on Thursday.
With each tweet questioning itself, or relaying false information on this subject, the Establishment hastens to respond individually to Internet users. And there seem to be many of them.
On its site, the EFS also recalls that “neither the health pass nor the vaccination pass are necessary to donate blood”. This also applies to the donation of platelets or plasma. “We welcome all donors able to donate, wearing a mask is still recommended”, emphasizes the establishment.
A historical shortage
The only precaution: if you have just been vaccinated and feel a little weak, it is better to wait a few days before donating blood, indicated to the Parisian, Dr. Ahmed Slimani, director of sampling at the Establishment French blood for the Île-de-France region.
Finally, in the case of contamination with Covid-19, “you have to wait 14 days after recovery before you can donate blood,” he said. “The deadline is the same for variants, including Delta. For the rest, “everyone can go to the collection point or to the Maison du don”, he continued.
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This development remains all the more important since the level of blood reserves has been, in recent months, “below the only safety level”, notes the establishment. The EFS had launched last February for the first time, a “vital emergency appeal” in view of the low number of stocks available. In detail: 70,000 bags of red blood cells were in reserve when 100,000 were needed, according to the institution.
The situation is critical.
