COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Extreme weather conditions are compounding a strain on the nation’s supply of blood and platelet donations.
“We’re just trying to adapt with everything that’s going on with the pandemic and the weather, just trying to push on through,” said Chris Thake, a collections specialist with the American Red Cross of Central and Southern Ohio.
The American Red Cross explained within the past several weeks, a blast of winter weather cancelled hundreds of blood drives in about 30 states, leaving at least 15,000 donations uncollected. In Ohio at least 20 drives were cancelled, accounting for around 600 units of blood.
Thake said, “We are very dependent on those blood donations. Hospitals need blood every single day, so we’re out here collecting blood every day.”
The COVID-19 crisis initially caused widespread blood drive cancellations. The drives have returned, but are scaled back volumes to accommodate health restrictions.
“It has limited it,” said Thake. “With some conditions of our rooms, we can only allow so many people within the rooms and so we try to stagger our appointments.”
Friday, 30 donors were scheduled to give blood at the Red Cross building near downtown Columbus. Mitchell Cox said several years ago he started donating blood every two months.
“It’s something anybody can do, it doesn’t cost anything,” he said. “It’s convenient, they get me in and out in an hour. I wish I’d done it my whole life.”
One pint of blood can save up to three lives. Since the summer of 2020, the Red Cross has been testing every donation for COVID-19 antibodies. If a donor has recovered from the virus, or testing reveals they have antibodies in their blood, they can also donate convalescent plasma for treatment in COVID-19 patients.
To find a Red Cross blood drive near you, click here and enter your zip code.
Other blood centers are urging donations from healthy individuals, especially those with Type O blood.
Versiti Blood Center of Ohio is offering the following blood drives:
- Feb. 23: Refinery Church, 3915 Dublin Rd.; 1 – 7 p.m.
- Feb. 24: Citywide Greek Life, 550 S. High St.; 11 a.m. – 3:10 p.m.
- Feb. 25: Hampton Inn, 3160 Olentangy River Rd.; 3 – 7 p.m.
You can find more information by click here: Donate Ohio
