Blood Drive at FPC

Help save lives by donating blood! We’re holding a blood drive in conjunction with the American Red Cross on Friday, March 19, 2021 from noon to 6 pm. Register to donate at www.redcrossblood.org. Our sponsor code is FPCTOPEKA. You can also register to donate by calling Julie at 785-845-2430, or by calling 800-RED-CROSS. The American Red Cross is offering COVID-19 antibody testing. COVID-19 antibody test results will be available to donors within one to two weeks in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org. Properly worn face masks are required of all donors. Be sure to bring a photo ID, drink plenty of water and eat before your appointment.

• All presenting donors at your blood drive receive a Red Cross T-shirt.
• The American Red Cross is testing donated blood samples for COVID-19 antibodies. This additional health service provides donors insight into whether they may have been exposed to the coronavirus. Donors can expect to receive test results within 7-10 days through the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal at www.redcrossblood.org. Click here for detailed COVID-19 antibody information.

COVID vaccine:

The American Red Cross is following Food and Drug Administration blood donation eligibility guidance for those who receive a COVID vaccination. Deferral times vary depending on the type of vaccine an individual receives.

The following eligibility guidelines apply to each COVID vaccine received, including boosters:

• There is no deferral time for eligible blood donors who are vaccinated with an inactivated or RNA-based COVID vaccine manufactured by Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Novavax or Janssen/Johnson & Johnson.
• Eligible blood donors who do not know what type of COVID vaccine they received are eligible if it has been greater than two weeks since receiving the vaccine and they have no symptoms.
• Individuals who received a COVID vaccine are not eligible to donate convalescent plasma.
• Regardless of the type of vaccine an individual receives, all donors must be symptom-free and feeling well at the time of donation. If an individual is experiencing any symptoms from the COVID vaccine, the Red Cross asks they postpone their donation until they are feeling better.

Those who received a COVID vaccine need to provide the manufacturer name when they come to donate. We encourage donors to bring their vaccination card or printout with them to their donation. Additional donor eligibility info, in regard to coronavirus, is available at RedCrossBlood.org (rcblood.org/2yGvV43).