Claim: NBA legend Magic Johnson donated blood to COVID-19 patients
Rating: FALSE
According to a since-deleted viral tweet, National Basketball Association (NBA) star Magic Johnson supposedly donated blood to COVID-19 patients.
Johnson is HIV positive since October 1991.
This is false.
The deleted tweet included an image of Magic Johnson with a needle in his arm.
However, the image was mislabeled – Johnson did not donate blood and was instead only having blood drawn as part of a 2012 documentary.
Johnson has also refuted the claim, labeled as “satire”, saying that he has never donated blood. The Red Cross does not accept blood donations from HIV-positive individuals.
Photo: Magic Johnson’s Facebook page
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