Blood Donors Answering the Call for Donations Sustained Donor Response is Crucial to Prevent a Blood Shortage

(Orlando, Florida – March 19, 2020) Blood donors are answering the call for blood donations throughout OneBlood’s service area and are making a tremendous impact in helping ensure a ready blood supply.

As businesses, schools and universities shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic, it is drastically impacting where OneBlood can host blood drives.

OneBlood has now had more than1900 blood drive cancellations through May. Those blood drives would have accounted for more than 30,000 blood donations. OneBlood anticipates the number of cancelations will continue to climb.

“The rate at which blood drives are being canceled is unprecedented and will impact OneBlood’s operations for months to come,” said Susan Forbes, senior vice president of corporate communications and public relations at OneBlood.

To prevent a critical blood supply issue from occurring, Forbes stresses that people need to make blood donation a habit and to donate every time they are eligible.

“While people are responding to the call for blood donations now, we need this trend to continue.  A sustained donor response is critical if we are to prevent a blood supply shortage,” Forbes said.

OneBlood is asking businesses that are still open to consider hosting a blood drive. They are also encouraging people whose businesses or schools that are now closed to please stop at a OneBlood donor center or Big Red Bus blood drive and donate.  Appointments are encouraged.

To find a OneBlood donation location, to make an appointment or to book the Big Red Bus for a blood drive, simply visit www.oneblood.org.

It is Safe to Donate Blood. The U.S. Surgeon General and the FDA have stated that it remains safe to donate blood and that it is safe to attend blood drives.

All blood centers are regulated by the FDA and must follow strict guidelines on how they operate. OneBlood meets all FDA guidelines and all team members follow strict safety protocols including:

  • All OneBlood phlebotomists wear medical gloves that are changed for each donation.
  • All donor-touched areas and equipment are disinfected after every donation. This includes, donor beds, registration tablets, blood-pressure cuff and hemoglobin sensors.
  • A sterile collection set is used for every donation.
  • Every donor receives a mini-physical that includes a temperature check to ensure donors are healthy and well on the day of donation.
  • Only people who are healthy are eligible to donate blood.

Social Distancing at Blood Drives and Donor Centers

OneBlood has implemented additional social distancing safety protocols including:

  • Blood Drives: Only a certain number of people will be permitted on the Big Red Bus at any one time. Donors will be asked to provide their cell phone number so they can wait in their car or outside the bloodmobile. They will be called when it is their turn to come aboard the bus to donate blood.
  • Donor Centers: At OneBlood donor centers, donors can wait in the donor center, but will need to maintain a safe distance between other donors.  Or they can wait in their car and they will be called when it is their turn to donate.

Click here for media tool kit. Tool kit includes soundbites from Susan Forbes, senior vice president of corporate communications and public relations and video of safety protocols.

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