The need for blood donations has slowed down during the pandemic, but so has the amount of donations.
Now the American Red Cross is trying to do everything they can to get donors back to blood drives.
It takes community effort to replinish blood supply.
Jesse Green says he's been donating for years and will continue to do so if that means being able to help someone else…especially in times like these.
"It's important for me because it's an easy way for me to give back and help those in need. It's not a hard thing to do. It makes it really easy and its something that everybody needs…I would want somebody to do it if I needed a blood." Green said.
A donor recruiter with American Red Cross says they're sending out messages and phone calls to get more people to donate.
"There is a need right now and were hoping that people will check and see where there's a local blood drive and try to schedule an appointment to get there." Jim Whitfield said.
Whitfield says the goal today was 45 people, but they need so many more.
He says they're trying to let people know that they're taking social distancing seriously, in hopes that people will feel safe donating blood.
They're also offering free COVID-19 antibody testing with every blood donation….to find out if a donor has had COVID-19 in the past and recovered.
"You need to have further diagnostic testing, but its a free test and then that way people can find out if they're positive or negative." Whitfield said.
He says you will know the results in five to seven days.
Green says he's not concerned with donating during a pandemic because of the precautions in place, like temperature checks, cleaning measures, and the requirement to wear masks.
"They're doing all the right protocols here, they're very safe, they're disinfecting everything. I don't see why it would be an issue to come and donate." Green said.
Whitfield says there are many ways you can help. You can go online, find a blood drive near you, and make an appointment to donate.
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July 08, 2020 at 04:55AM
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