The nation is facing a severe blood shortage following an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations in response to the coronavirus outbreak, officials with the American Red Cross said recently.
They are asking that healthy individuals donate blood to help patients.
Individuals can schedule an appointment to give blood with the Red Cross by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has grown in the U.S., blood drive cancellations have grown at an alarming rate. To date, nearly 2,700 Red Cross blood drives have been canceled across the country due to concerns about congregating at workplaces, college campuses and schools during the coronavirus outbreak. These cancellations have resulted in some 86,000 fewer blood donations. More than 80 percent of the blood the Red Cross collects comes from drives held at locations of this type.
The Red Cross is adding appointment slots at donation centers and expanding capacity at many community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to ensure ample opportunities for donors to give.
The Red Cross expects the number of cancellations to continue to increase, which is causing heightened concern for blood collection organizations and hospitals across the country. This blood shortage could impact patients who need surgery, victims of car accidents and other emergencies, or patients suffering from cancer.
“I am looking at the refrigerator that contains only one day’s supply of blood for the hospital,” said Dr. Robertson Davenport, director of transfusion medicine at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. “The hospital is full. There are patients who need blood and cannot wait.”
“In our experience, the American public comes together to support those in need during times of shortage and that support is needed now more than ever during this unprecedented public health crisis,” said Chris Hrouda, president, Red Cross Biomedical Services.
“We know that people want to help, but they may be hesitant to visit a blood drive during this time. We want to assure the public that blood donation is a safe process, and we have put additional precautions in place at our blood drives and donation centers to protect all who come out,” said Hrouda.
The Red Cross has implemented new measures to ensure blood drives and donation centers are even safer for our donors and staff, including
— Checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy.
— Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process.
— Spacing beds, where possible, to follow social distancing practices between blood donors.
— Increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.
At each blood drive and donation center, Red Cross employees already follow thorough safety protocols to help prevent the spread of any type of infection, including:
— Wearing gloves and changing gloves with each donor.
— Routinely wiping down donor-touched areas.
— Using sterile collection sets for every donation.
— Preparing the arm for donation with an aseptic scrub.
There is no data or evidence that coronavirus can be transmitted by blood transfusion, and there have been no reported cases of transfusion transmission for any respiratory virus including this coronavirus worldwide.
“Volunteer donors are the unsung heroes for patients in need of lifesaving blood transfusions. If you are healthy, feeling well and eligible to give, please schedule an appointment to give now,” added Hrouda.
Local Red Cross blood drives are scheduled for May 12, 3:30-5:30 p.m., at the May’s Lick Community Center; June 9, 1-3:30 p.m., at the Maysville Church of the Nativity; Aug. 11, 3:30-5:30 p.m., at the May’s Lick Baptist Church; and Aug. 18 at Maysville Church of the Nativity.
As the spread of Coronavirus continues throughout Kentucky, the Kentucky Blood Center is also appealing to healthy individuals to donate blood to prevent shortages in the 70+ Kentucky hospitals it serves.
“Giving blood is a tangible way to take action in uncertain times,” said Martha Osborne, vice president of marketing for Kentucky Blood Center. “Cancer patients, accident and burn victims and other neighbors continue to need blood products. We anticipate with school and business closings that a national blood shortage will continue for the foreseeable future. It is imperative that healthy individuals continue to donate blood as soon as they can and as often as they can.”
KBC has drives planned at Maysville Walmart on Saturday, April 11 from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. and at Meadowview Regional Medical Center on Thursday, April 16 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Blood donors must be at least 17-years-old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in general good health, show a photo I.D. and meet additional requirements.
