The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage, please schedule and donate today!

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Make an appointment to help patients counting on lifesaving blood: ‪https://rdcrss.org/2weMYZI

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 and in the weeks ahead to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.

• As the coronavirus pandemic has grown here in the U.S., we have seen blood drive cancellations

grow at an alarming rate. Through March 18, more than 4,500 Red Cross blood drives have been

canceled across the country due to coronavirus concerns, resulting in about 150,000 fewer blood

donations.

• Workplaces, college campuses and schools are canceling their blood drives as these locations

temporarily close and more people are being told to work remotely and practice social distancing.

• We are expecting cancellations to continue to increase, which is causing heightened concern for

blood collection organizations and hospitals across the country.

We understand why people may be hesitant to come out for a blood drive, but want to reassure

the public that we have implemented additional precautions to ensure the safety of our donors

and staff in response to concern, 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, and
• Increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.

We also want to emphasize that 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.

• These strict safety protocols include:

o Wearing gloves and changing gloves often

o Routinely wiping down donor-touched areas

o Using sterile collection sets for every donation, and

o Preparing the arm for donation with an aseptic scrub

• All of these mitigation measures will help ensure the safety of all those at a blood drive or center.
• There is no evidence and there are no reported cases of the coronavirus - or any respiratory

virus - being transmitted by a blood transfusion.

This blood shortage could impact patients who need surgery, victims of car accidents and other

emergencies, or patients suffering from cancer. One of the most important things you can do to

ensure we don’t have another health care crisis on top of the coronavirus is to give blood.

• The need for blood is constant, and will continue even as the outbreak grows. Volunteer donors