Editor’s note: The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this coronavirus outbreak. Healthy individuals are needed to donate now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.
With a local blood drive coming up, the Red Cross is in need of blood donations. With the coronavirus spreading throughout the United States, it is important to keep giving blood donations for those who are in need.
“We know the value of giving the gift of life as the American Red Cross call it,” Susan Fitzgerald, director of student health services, said. “Each unit donated will help save other people’s live’s,” Fitzgerald said.
According to “What to know about the Coronavirus and Blood Donation” the importance of giving blood is recommended even during this pandemic of the coronavirus. The Red Cross top priority is to make sure that their donors, volunteers and eemployes are safe. They are monitoring the (COVID-19) daily and preparing to assist the public health agencies to help others with the on-going epidemic. The Red Cross has asked to that the people who are planning to donate blood to wait and postpone their donation if they are traveling outside the country to Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, Italy or South Korea. They also recommend postponing their donations if they have come in contact with someone who has COVID-19.
The Red Cross also wants future donors to take precautions to keep themselves healthy. They ask people to keep up with personal hygiene. To prevent COVID-19 this would mean to wash your hands often, avoid touching your face, cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough and to disinfect many commonly touched surfaces.
Another good way the Red Cross urges students to donate blood is through Power Red. The article “Power Red donation” defines Power Red as a donation process that allows a machine to transfer two units of red blood cells. After your the red blood cells are donated the machine returns your plasma and platelets. The benefits of Power Red is that it is a quick process to donate blood and the fact that it returns your plasma and platelets to you leaves the donor hydrated. Though it may seem like an efficient way to donate blood, this process is only for those who meet the required qualifications: Power Red donors have to be healthy, type O, A negative and B negative blood, have to donate every three months.
“Blood industry joins together during coronavirus challenges” talks about how donating blood is incredibly vital. All the blood centers have come together to help with the blood supply. These industries still need people who are willing to donate to save lives of those need it. But due to most of the blood drives being cancelled to reduce the spread of the COVID-19, the blood supply has dropped. Ultimately the blood industries, doctors and health official urge people to consider donating blood for those who need it the most.
