Help Ensure a Readily Available Blood Supply Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

(April 29, 2020) — With no known end date to the coronavirus fight, the American Red Cross is encouraging healthy individuals to make appointments to donate blood or platelets to ensure blood remains readily available for patients who still rely on transfusions.

The need for blood for trauma patients, children battling cancer, mothers experiencing childbirth complications, patients with sickle cell disease and others continues. Donated blood has a limited shelf life of 42 days for red cells and just five days for platelets, so the supply must constantly be replenished.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – have been implemented to safeguard donors, volunteers and employees.

Make an appointment
Healthy individuals who are feeling well are asked to make an appointment to donate this May by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting http://RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities May 1-15:

Crawford County

Bucyrus
5/5/2020: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Amvets Post 27 – Bucyrus, 235 E Galen St

Crestline
5/15/2020: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Crestline High School, 7854 Oldfield Road

Galion
5/12/2020: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Galion Alliance Church, 430 Portland Way N
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Marion County

Marion
5/4/2020: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., The Alber Red Cross Center, 1849 Summerset Drive
5/4/2020: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Marion Naz, 233 W. Church St,.
5/6/2020: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., The Alber Red Cross Center, 1849 Summerset Drive
5/7/2020: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., The Alber Red Cross Center, 1849 Summerset Drive
5/12/2020: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., The Alber Red Cross Center, 1849 Summerset Drive
5/13/2020: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., The Alber Red Cross Center, 1849 Summerset Drive
5/14/2020: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., American Legion Harold L. Bradley Post 584, 142 Olney Ave.
5/14/2020: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., The Alber Red Cross Center, 1849 Summerset Drive
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Morrow County

Mount Gilead
5/4/2020: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 75 East High Street
5/9/2020: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Fresh Faith Community Church, 4444 State Route 95
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Union County

Marysville
5/1/2020: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Union County Family YMCA, 1150 Charles Lane
5/7/2020: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Union County Family YMCA, 1150 Charles Lane
5/13/2020: 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., First UMC, 207 South Court Street

Richwood
5/11/2020: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Richwood Bank Marketing, 15 East Ottawa St.

How to donate blood:

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit http://RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. 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 may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive.

To get started, follow the instructions at http://RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.