The Red Cross disagrees[1]: “One of the Red Cross requirements for plasma from routine blood and platelet donations that test positive for high-levels of antibodies to be used as convalescent plasma is that it must be from a donor that has not received a COVID-19 vaccine. This is to ensure that antibodies collected from donors have sufficient antibodies directly related to their immune response to a COVID-19 infection and not just the vaccine, as antibodies from an infection and antibodies from a vaccine are not the same.”
Interestingly this means if you have natural immunity and are a regular blood donor you shouldn’t get the vaccine since it deprives the healthcare system of a lifesaving treatment.
They are following the FDA guidance for the convalescent plasma EUA, which does allow people that were sick prior to vaccination to donate plasma...it seems the Red Cross isn't interested in trying to communicate that to potential donors.
If you expand the boxes on your link, you'll also see that they aren't specifically collecting convalescent plasma, as demand has decreased. Perhaps that is changing with the recent uptick (but given the demographics of blood donation, they'll probably have to change their rules if they need a lot of it; most people donate ~1 time).
Yes I read the link I myself posted, and yes I see the above since that's why I specifically said "regular blood donor." Obviously casual donors should just get vaccinated.
Interestingly this means if you have natural immunity and are a regular blood donor you shouldn’t get the vaccine since it deprives the healthcare system of a lifesaving treatment.
[1] https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/coronavirus--...