Donating blood after having been vaccinated does not reduce the quality or safety of the procedure, the health ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry relayed the message from the central blood donation network which stated that only a slight pause in blood donation is necessary for those who have been vaccinated.

According to their announcement, those who have received mRNA vaccines – Pfizer or Moderna – must wait seven days between doses and donating blood.

For the AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson jab the wait is 28 days following vaccination.

The announcement has been made following what the authorities say are: “misinformation, particularly on social media, which claim that whoever has been vaccinated against Covid-19 can never again donate blood in the life-time… the Blood Centre categorically rejects these rumours.”