Pradyot Sharma
Editor-in-Chief
Troy University’s Office of Student Involvement is teaming up with the American Red Cross to organize a blood drive to combat severe blood shortage throughout the country.
The Blood Drive will be held on Tuesday March 24 and Wednesday March 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Trojan Center Ballrooms
According to the American Red Cross, there has been an unprecedented amount of blood drive cancellations due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Donors should pre-register at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=troyu to reserve a time.
In a White House press conference Thursday, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams urged Americans to give blood, emphasizing that donating blood is safe even in the current environment.
“As an emergency preparedness organization, the Red Cross has also taken additional steps to ensure the safety of staff and donors at each Red Cross blood drive,” said Elizabeth Hutchinson, senior account manager for American Red Cross Biomedical Services.
The precautions being taken by the American Red Cross include:
- The Red Cross only collects blood from individuals who are healthy and feeling well at the time of donation – and who meet other eligibility requirements, available at RedCrossBlood.org.
- The Red Cross is now pre-screening all individuals by checking their temperature before they enter any Red Cross blood drive or donation center, including staff and volunteers.
- At each blood drive and donation center, Red Cross employees follow thorough safety protocols, including wearing gloves, routinely wiping down donor-touched areas, using sterile collection sets for every donation, and preparing the arm for donation with an aseptic scrub.
- Additional spacing has been implemented within each blood drive set up to incorporate social distancing measures between donation beds and stations within the blood drive.
Barbara Patterson, Director of Student Involvement and Leadership, said the university felt an obligation to answer the Red Cross’ call during this crisis.
“This is the right thing for us to do,” Patterson said. “We want to ensure the community that this is a safe event, and we also want to encourage them to come to the Trojan Center and help if they can. The Red Cross explained to us the need for this, and it is very real.”
