Group A can donate red blood cells to A and AB.Group AB can donate to other AB but can receive from all others.
To donate blood, a person has to generally be in good health and not have any symptoms of infections, such as a sore throat, cough or diarrhoea for at least a week. They must also not have had a fever for at least four weeks. In 2022, the decentralised bloodbanks in Woodlands, Jurong and Dhoby Ghaut contributed to 60 per cent of total blood collections in Singapore.There are two types of blood donations – whole blood and apheresis.It is usually separated into its components – red cells, plasma, platelets – for transfusion.
Eligible donors can make an appointment at a bloodbank. They must bring their NRIC, work pass or passport, a signed parent consent form if they are under 18 and any medication they are taking. Once the donation is done, snacks and drinks will be provided while they rest. They can leave once they feel okay.For apheresis donations, a machine called a blood cell separator draws blood from a person. The plasma, platelets or red cells in the blood are extracted, and the remaining components are returned to the donor.