The coronavirus has presented yet another problem: a threat to the blood supply, which the local American Red Cross unit is mounting special efforts to address.
The agency is urging all eligible and healthy persons to donate blood or platelets, with multiple opportunities to do so available during the remainder of this month across Surry County.
Lynn Wilkes of the Greater Carolinas Blood Services Region of the Red Cross, which covers Surry, says concerns have emerged about the effects of the coronavirus, or COVD-19, on the availability of blood products. Donors with type O blood and platelet donors are especially needed.
The cold and flu season already has impacted the nation’s ability to maintain stockpiles, say officials of the Red Cross, the chief blood-collection agency.
As the number of coronavirus cases grows in the U.S., the pool of people eligible to give blood for patients in need could decrease further.
Red Cross officials explain that blood is collected only from individuals who are healthy and feeling well at donation time – and who meet other eligibility requirements, available at RedCrossBlood.org.
The overall impact from diminished turnouts threatens the supply.
“As fears of coronavirus rise, low donor participation could harm blood availability at hospitals, and the last thing a patient should worry about is whether lifesaving blood will be on the shelf when they need it most,” Red Cross Blood Services President Chris Hrouda said in a statement.
“We’re asking the American people to help keep the blood supply stable during this challenging time,” Hrouda added. “As communities across the country prepare for this public health emergency, it’s critical that plans include a readily available blood supply for hospital patients.”
Accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease are most in need.
Local collection events
Wilkes released a list of blood drives planned through the remainder of March in Surry County, including these dates, times and locations:
• Monday, 1:30 to 6 p.m., Elkin Rescue Squad building, 946 N. Bridge St.
• March 22, 1 to 6 p.m., Slate Mountain Baptist Church, 3644 E. Pine St., Mount Airy
• March 23, noon to 4:30 p.m., Pilot Mountain First United Methodist Church, 210 Marion St.
• March 25, 1 to 5:30 p.m., Mountain Park Elementary School, 505 Mountain Park Road in State Road.
• March 26, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Elkin High School, 334 Elk Spur St.
• March 31, 8:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., East Surry High School, 801 W. Main St., Pilot Mountain.
• March 31, 1 to 5:30 p.m., Westfield Elementary School, 273 Jessup Grove Church Road, Pilot Mountain
• March 31, Salem Baptist Church, 3:30 to 8 p.m., 430 Rockford Road, Dobson
Coronavirus precautions
Appointments to give can be made using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health can be eligible to donate. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.
Officials are addressing concerns arising from the coronavirus, according to information provided by Wilkes.
Donating blood is a safe process and people should not hesitate to give or receive blood, with no data or evidence that the coronavirus can be transmissible via blood transfusion. There also have been no reported cases worldwide of transmissions for any respiratory virus, including the coronavirus, from a transfusion.
At each blood drive or donation center, Red Cross employees are taught to practice thorough safety protocols, including wearing gloves and personal protective gear, wiping down donor-touched areas after every collection, using sterile collection sets for each donation and arm scrubbing.
These mitigation measures are helping to ensure blood recipient safety, and that of staff and donors in reducing contact with those who might potentially have the respiratory infection.
Those wanting to give should postpone their donations for 28 days after travel to China and its special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, along with Iran, Italy and South Korea. This precaution also applies to anyone diagnosed or having contact with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19.
As the coronavirus situation evolves, the Red Cross will continue to evaluate all emerging risks in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and industry partners to determine if additional intervention strategies are needed, officials say.
The blood-donation process takes about an hour from start to finish, but the donation itself requires only about eight to 10 minutes.
Donors also can save up to 15 minutes at a blood drive through a RapidPass. With it, they complete a pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of a visit from a mobile device or computer. Instructions for completing a RapidPass are available at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or through the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
To give blood, a donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in time.
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Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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