April 8, 2020 – The American Red Cross is experiencing a blood shortage
due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations in response
to the coronavirus outbreak. Healthy individuals are needed now to donate
to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.
Northside Baptist Church will host an American Red Cross blood drive every Thursday during April,
3-7 p.m., 935 Chapel Crossing Rd., Brunswick.
First United Methodist Church will host blood drives on Wednesday, April 15 and April 22, 3-7 p.m.,
and Tuesday, April 28, 12-5 p.m., 1400 Norwich, Brunswick.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will also host a blood drive on Thursday, April 16, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., One
Conservation Way, Suite 300.
All drives are inside buildings that allow for social distancing protocols
to be meant. There is no data or evidence that the 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.
The Red Cross has implemented new measures to ensure blood drives are safe
for donors and staff, including:
- Checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering to make sure
they are healthy
- Providing hand sanitizer for use before and 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, 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
Individuals who would like to donate are asked to make an appointment online
at redcrossblood.org to schedule a time that works for them. Appointments
allow the American Red Cross to exercise social distancing and provide
good donor services.
Donors are encouraged to complete the pre-donation reading and health history
questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or
computer. In addition to reducing their donation time, RapidPass®
also reduces the number of touch points at the blood drive, minimizing
the transfer of germs. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions
at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.