# Respiratory virus (COVID-19, influenza, RSV) — can I give blood? (Vitalant (US))

For Respiratory virus (COVID-19, influenza, 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.

- **Criterion:** Respiratory virus (COVID-19, influenza, RSV) _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Blood service:** Vitalant (US) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Waiting period:** 5 days _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **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 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Outcome:** temporary deferral _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> 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.

## Source

- https://www.vitalant.org/eligibility

Last verified: 2026-08-13. Review by: 2027-02-09.
Part of [Blood donor deferral criteria compared across national blood services](https://referencesource.org/blood-donor-deferral-criteria/).