The needle is sterile, is used only once and then discarded. Approximately one pint of blood is drawn through the needle into a plastic bag. The entire donation only takes 5 to 10 minutes. There is no risk of contracting any disease from donating blood. After the blood donation is complete, you will be asked to rest for 15 minutes and eat some light refreshments before resuming your normal activities.
Most donors experience no ill effects.
It is especially important to increase your fluid intake following a donation. The fluid lost in the donation is replaced in 24 hours and the red cells are replaced in 8 weeks. For this reason, you must wait 8 weeks between whole blood donations.