Respiratory viruses like COVID-19, influenza and RSV — can I give blood? (Vitalant (US))
What is the waiting period for Respiratory viruses like COVID-19, influenza and RSV — can I give blood? (Vitalant (US))?
For Respiratory viruses like COVID-19, influenza and RSV, waiting period is 5 days; condition is after a test-diagnosed respiratory virus with mild symptoms and no fever or no symptoms; if fever, must be fever-free without medication with improving symptoms for 24 hours, then wait five more days; outcome is temporary deferral; blood service is Vitalant (US), recorded from its source on 2026-08-13.
Individuals who’ve had a test-diagnosed respiratory virus with mild symptoms and no fever or no symptoms, should not donate for at least five days.
— vitalant.org, retrieved 2026-08-13
5 days
How long you must wait before donating (or the age/weight bound), exactly as this blood service prints it — the passage it comes from is quoted on the record page. National services genuinely disagree on the same criterion; check the service you would donate with.
- Criterion
- Respiratory viruses like COVID-19, influenza and RSV
- Blood service
- Vitalant (US) our reading
- Waiting period
- 5 days
- Condition
- after a test-diagnosed respiratory virus with mild symptoms and no fever or no symptoms; if fever, must be fever-free without medication with improving symptoms for 24 hours, then wait five more days
- Outcome
- temporary deferral our reading
Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.
Source
- vitalant.orghttps://www.vitalant.org/eligibility