Following the mass shooting at an Orlando gay bar early Sunday morning, which left at least 50 dead and more than 50 wounded, OneBlood, an Orlando blood center, posted an urgent request for O-, O+ and AB plasma donors.
The community has responded, with people lining up around the block to donate.
While there have been reports that OneBlood lifted the restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood, the organization refuted the claim, tweeting: "FDA guidelines remain in effect for blood donation. There are false reports circulating that FDA rules were being lifted. Not true."
The FDA recommends men who have had sex with another man during the past 12 months refrain from donating blood.
U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., who is openly gay, criticized the policy on Twitter.
