Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the important questions you have about donating and receiving blood

How often can I donate blood or platelets?
You can safely donate every 56 days. Apheresis donors can donate safely every 3 days.

How long does it take to donate blood?
It usually takes about 45 minutes for screening, donating a unit, and a short rest period after you are finished. The actual donation itself takes about 15 minutes.

Who can give blood?
You must be at least 16 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. There is no maximum age limitation as long as you are in good health.  Donors under the age of 17 need to fill out a minor donor permission slip with a parent's signature.  Download the form here >> Minor Donor Permit

There are some considerations when you come to donate blood:

 

 

Who should not donate blood?
To assure a safe blood supply, State and Federal regulations mandate that any donor with a history of the following disorders is permanently disqualified from donating blood:

 

 

Please remember that if a patient is going to receive a blood transfusion, their body is in a compromised state, and blood that does not meet the utmost standards could lead to more problems later.

How long can blood and blood components be stored?
A unit of blood with no preservatives can be kept refrigerated for 35 days. With the addition of an anti-clotting agent, shelf life can be extended to 42 days. Platelets can only be stored for 5 days. Other components such as fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate can be frozen for use up to one year.

How does giving blood affect me?
Very little, except for a well-earned feeling of satisfaction! Your body replaces the plasma within 24 hours and the red cells within four weeks. Recent studies are now showing that donating blood regularly can have positive effects on your overall health.

Is donating blood safe?
Absolutely! There is no way to contract a disease from donating blood. The bag sets are for one time use only. They are kept in sterile packaging until they are needed. Once a unit has been drawn, the needle is immediately disposed of. There is no way to re-use a needle on another bag set. Also, the area surrounding the phlebotomy site is thoroughly cleansed with iodine to greatly reduce the chances of a skin infection.

Are blood transfusions safe?
Laboratory tests before transfusion insure that the risk to the patient is minimal. The testing performed by the Community Blood Bank is very rigorous and can detect a great many blood borne pathogens. In recent years, the science of testing blood has advanced greatly, with the addition of HIV antigen screening and nucleic acid testing.

What exactly do you test blood for?
The Community Blood Bank tests every blood donation for:

 

 

All platelet apheresis products are also tested for any bacterial contamination, either surface skin types, or more serious blood-borne bacterial agents.
Some donations [especially from O type donors] are screened for cytomegalovirus (CMV). This virus is present in approximately 80% of the population which could adversely affect premature newborn infants or transplant recipients.

What is autologous and directed blood?
Autologous blood is a blood donation you make for yourself prior to having surgery. You can usually donate up to four units of your own blood for use during surgery. Directed blood is blood that you donate specifically for someone else to use. Directed blood is usually given by one family member to another. If it is going to a blood relative, the blood must be irradiated first to reduce the risk of graft versus host disease (GVHD). In either case, you must have a doctor's prescription to donate for yourself or another person. Also, for directed units, the blood donor must still meet all of the eligibility requirements of regular donors.