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Magic Johnson fans rally as icon slams FALSE reports of him donating blood to Covid patients

A viral picture of the NBA icon showed Johnson with a tourniquet around his arm, hooked up to a tube while a doctor obtained a blood sample

NBA icon Magic Johnson, who revealed about contracting HIV in 1991, has shut down rumors about donating blood to Covid patients. The 63-year-old basketball legend took to Twitter on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, to clear the air on the matter after a picture of him surfaced on the internet alleging that he donated some of his blood to the Red Cross to help underprivileged communities help fight Covid.
 
A picture of the former Lakers star, whose real name is Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr, did the rounds on the Internet showing the basketball player with a tourniquet around his arm, hooked up to a tube while a doctor obtained a blood sample. The publication AP shed light on the incident revealing that the picture going viral originated from a 2012 documentary produced by PBS Frontline called ‘Endgame: AIDS in Black America’. In the image is actually getting his blood drawn instead of donating blood to the Red Cross.
 
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‘I have never donated blood’

Taking to Twitter with more than five million followers, Johnson said, “I’m aware of the false story circling the internet, and to be clear, I have never donated blood.” Social media users were quick to react to the NBA legend’s remarks with many showering their support.
 
The image first surfaced on a satire Twitter account, and it soon broke the Internet before the administrator deleted the picture for good. The bio of the Twitter account even states, “Spreading narratives with misinformation (satire)”, as revealed by the New York Post.

For the unversed, The Red Cross' policies do not allow anyone who has tested positive for HIV to donate blood. Johnson made headlines in 1991 when he announced testing positive for HIV. He declared that he will be immediately retiring from the NBA. Though he came back on two different occasions before ultimately retiring for good in 1996.

‘Educate yourselves before passing judgment so quickly’

Social media users took to Twitter to react to Johnson’s tweet. “It's a shame that, even in 2022, magic johnson has to even put out a tweet like this. especially since he's been diagnosed with HIV (and remains undetectable) since 1991. people who are laughing at this, or making mockery of this, are a disgrace.”

Another shared, “What a sad world this is when someone even had to post this! @MagicJohnson is as high class of a person as I’ve ever met who constantly cares for others!  We need to be better folks!!”
 
The next one tweeted, “Honestly had to do a double take to make sure this wasn’t a parody account.” Whereas, one added, “Whoever using magic Johnson name in wrongfully manner need to cut it I never heard of such negativity in my life on this stop trying gain clout!!”

Another concluded, “For those that don’t know, donating blood is helpful yes but it is regulated by the FDA. One of the regulations is you cannot donate blood if you have ever tested positive for HIV (screening/confirmatory). Educate yourselves before passing judgment so quickly.”   

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.