Recent Changes to Donation Criteria (Updated: 03 June 2024)

The criteria for blood donation are always being reviewed and changes are often made. If you have any questions or are not sure about your eligibility, please contact us at 27101333 during office hours (Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm)

COVID-19: Member of the public who had contracted COVID-19 (confirmed positive via rapid antigen test / nucleic acid test) should deferred from blood donation for a minimum of 14 days, depending on their symptoms and recovery.  

• Member of public who had contracted COVID-19 and was symptomatic, should be deferred for 14 days after complete recovery; 

• Member of public who had contracted COVID-19 and was asymptomatic, should be deferred for 14 days after the date of the last positive test result;

West Nile Virus: Prospective donors who have been to North America (United States & Canada) or WNV endemic countries in Europe within four weeks before the date of blood donation, irrespective of any clinical symptoms, will be temporarily deferred for 28 days. For WNV-endemic countries in Europe, please visit the following website: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/west-nile-fever/surveillance-and-disease-data/disease-data-ecdc

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (mad cow disease): Starting from 21 Dec 2022, members of the public who had stayed three or more months cumulatively in the United Kingdom between 1980 and 1996; and who had stayed five or more years cumulatively in France or Ireland between 1980 and 2001, will be accepted to donate blood. In other words, members of the public who had previously resided in the abovementioned countries will all be accepted to donate blood in future.

Age: Upper age limit has been revised. First-time donors should be aged between 16 and 65. Donors aged 66 to 69 who have completed any donation in the last 2 years and passed the health assessment conducted by BTS health care professional, can be accepted for whole blood donation. With the annual health assessment and approval granted by the BTS medical officer, donors aged 70 and/or above and have completed any donation in the past 2 years, can be accepted for whole blood donation till 75.

HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Infection Risk Assessment Amendment:

Men who have sex with men: BTS has revised the blood donation policy for MSM from one-year deferral to 6 months deferral starting from 16.12.2021.

Tattoo*, acupuncture, ear or body piercing: BTS has revised the blood policy for the above behaviours from one-year deferral to 6 months deferral starting from 16.12.2021.

(*Tattoo includes permanent and semi-permanent cosmetic tattoos, such as microblading of eyebrows, eyelines and lips etc)

Other HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Infection Risk Assessment policy amendment,  please refer to https://www5.ha.org.hk/rcbts/donation-info

COVID-19 Vaccination Programmes: In general, people who have received COVID-19 vaccine, e.g CononaVac or Comirnaty with no side effects should be deferred for 7 days after vaccination. Please click here for details: https://www5.ha.org.hk/rcbts/news/covid19vaccination 

Malaria: The deferral period for those who have travelled to Malaria-endemic areas is shortened from one year to three months since 15 Sep 2020. For malaria-endemic area, please visit the following website: www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/country_table/a.html

Hypertension: Donor is advised to consult his/her family doctor to follow-up his/her current health status. In general, if the disease is controlled well without complications and no change of the type and dosage of drug for past 4 weeks, he /she is eligible for blood donation.

Diabetes: Donor is advised to consult his/her family doctor to follow-up his/her current health status. In general, if the disease is controlled well without complications and do not require insulin and no change of the type and dosage of drug for past 4 weeks, he /she is eligible for blood donation.

High Cholesterol: Donor is advised to consult his/her family doctor to follow-up his/her current health status. In general, if the disease is controlled well without complications and no change of the type and dosage of drug for past 4 weeks, he /she is eligible for blood donation.