By AMY RICKER
Great Bend Post
With COVID-19 making an unprecedented impact on blood banks' ability to collect blood and platelets, the American Red Cross has continued to accumulate donations to meet the demand. Despite the world being in the middle of a pandemic, other emergencies like car accidents and diseases like cancer keep the demand for blood and platelets at a high level.
Michelle Jantz from the American Red Cross says while the actual process of collecting the blood hasn't changed and they are still holding mobile blood drives, they have had to make adjustments to keep their donors and their medical staff safe from COVID-19.
"Now we are taking some really specific safety precautions and following some high standards of safety and infection control. We continue to take temperatures of not only our employees but our donors before they enter the drives. We use both hand sanitizer before entering the drives and social distancing throughout the entire donation process," explains Jantz.
Jantz says they also require face masks for both employees and donors, and they have added additional disinfecting procedures with wiping down beds, equipment, writing utensils, and changing gloves often.
If you are a first-time donor, Jantz explains that while it's normal to have fears, she says her employees are well-trained to deal with first-timers and their concerns.
"What everyone should know is that we do have a screening process because we want to make sure the donor is safe at all times. We want to make sure that giving blood won't be harmful to them, so we ask a series of detailed questions before we ever get the donor on the bed as well."
Through the holiday season, Eagle Communications, in partnership with the Robert E & Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation will match financial contributions made dollar for dollar, up to $50,000, by texting RC FLEET to 41411, or for an online option, you can visit greatbendpost.com.
Additionally, if you would like to donate blood, the American Red Cross has a blood donor app that can be downloaded, and by entering in your zip code, you can find blood drives near your area.