FACT CHECK: Did A Montana Bill Make It Illegal To Donate Blood After Receiving An MRNA Vaccine?
A post shared on Instagram claims Montana House Bill 645 has made it illegal to donate blood or tissue after receiving an mRNA vaccine.
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Verdict: False
While such a bill was proposed, it was struck down. Those who have received mRNA vaccines can still donate blood or tissue.
Fact Check:
The American Red Cross requested during May, Trauma Awareness Month, citizens help hospitals to stay prepared for transfusions, according to ABC News 4. Type O negative is especially needed, as it is the universal blood type, which means it can be received by any other blood type, The Observer reports.
An Instagram post claims that a bill has made it illegal to donate blood after receiving an mRNA vaccine. The post shares this information through a photo of white text on a green background.
“Bill 645 US makes it a criminal offence (sic) to donate blood & tissue if you received mRNA vxx (sic),” the text reads. “What does that imply?”
The claim is fabricated. It is true that House Bill 645 would have made it illegal to donate blood after receiving an mRNA vaccine, but this bill was never passed, according to Montana area newspaper Billings Gazette.
The bill was tabled due to a 19-1 committee vote and is listed as “probably dead” on the Montana Legislature website. People who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 can still donate blood and don’t undergo a deferral period in most cases, according to the Red Cross website. (RELATED: Did The U.S. Military Destroy Blood Donations From Vaccinated Service Members?)
A spokesperson for The Red Cross confirmed it is safe for those who have received the vaccine to donate blood.
“Blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine are safe for transfusion,” the spokesperson stated. “Similar to other vaccines such as measles, mumps or influenza, the COVID-19 vaccine is designed to generate an immune response to help protect an individual from illness, but vaccine components themselves are not found within the bloodstream.”
