COVID-19 vaccines and blood donation

Blood from vaccinated donors is safe for patients

Our ultimate priority is the health of the patient and donor. As part of our mandate to provide a safe, accessible blood supply to Canadians, medical and scientific professionals at Canadian Blood Services carefully review and assess each vaccine authorized for use in Canada. Health Canada has not recommended or imposed any restriction on the use of the four authorized COVID-19 vaccines and blood donation.

With COVID-19 vaccines, the mRNA or viral-vector vaccine is broken down quickly once it enters the body’s cells and there is no evidence that transfused blood collected from donors who were previously vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine poses any harm to patients. Further, blood donated by individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine is not associated with a risk to a transfusion recipient of COVID-19 infection, nor will it protect a transfusion recipient from COVID-19 infection.