Feb 25, 2021

Red Cross in need of blood donations after week of frigid temperatures

Posted Feb 25, 2021 2:00 PM

By AMY RICKER
Great Bend Post

With last week’s cold snap, many people found themselves focusing on if they would have electricity, natural gas, and of course, frozen pipes.     

With the warmer temperatures this week, the Red Cross is focusing on increasing their blood and platelet supply after the severe weather caused a significant drop in donations due to the cancellation of hundreds of blood drives.    

Red Cross Communications Manager Jan Hale says the need for both blood and platelets is constant, especially during snowstorms and the pandemic.   

“Blood and platelets are two different products. Whole blood is donated every 56 days, and that’s what is donated at blood drives. Platelets are retrieved during an automated process where you are hooked up to a machine that removes the platelets and returns the volume back to you,” explains Hale.    

Hale says the Red Cross also tests blood, platelets, and plasma donations for COVID antibodies to help treat patients fighting the virus.    

“If your blood does test positive for the antibodies, we can remove those antibodies from your whole blood donation and prepare that product for use by a patient who is currently fighting COVID-19,” says Hale.   

To donate blood, there are several area blood drives scheduled in the next few weeks. You can download the Red Cross Donor App choose from the list below. 

Claflin
2/26/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Claflin Community Center, 409 A Street

Ellinwood
3/1/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ellinwood District Hospital, 605 N. Main

Great Bend
2/27/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Great Bend Events Center, 3111 10th St.
3/3/2021: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., American Legion, 1011 Kansas Avenue
3/15/2021: 11:15 a.m. - 6 p.m., St Rose Auditorium, 1412 Baker St.

Hoisington
2/22/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 114 North Main St.