PLEA TO DONORS: CORONAVIRUS LIMITING NATION’S BLOOD SUPPLY
It’s all hands on deck at all OneBlood Donation sites.
And now with the Coronavirus limiting the ability to adequately replenish the nation’s blood supply, there is a greater need for donors.
“Just because the Coronavirus is here. We still need blood,” said OneBlood team leader Narrisara Savoury.
“We are always very safe here and very sanitary,” said Savoury.
“This has to be a sanitary environment,” echoed Gaffney.
But they are now taking even more precautions. Employees are wiping down computers after every use, they are sanitizing their hands more frequently and scrubbing down chairs with disinfectants.
Team member, Gaffney, wiping down computers before each use
“You know you’re changing lives, you know you’re helping save lives. You can never replace that. I just wish more people would come in and donate,” said Gaffney.
The need for donors is greater than ever after the rapid cancellations of blood drives at schools, businesses, and other public areas. Susan Forbes, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications and Public Relations said it is critical for donors to head to donation centers.
“For every blood drive that doesn’t happen, for every donor that doesn’t come in, that further puts the blood supply at risk. And if we continue to see blood drives being canceled, this is going to create a situation with blood supply which is really unprecedented and puts us in a critical situation,” Forbes said.
The need for donors is what drove Kerry Nance to donate. He noticed the Big Red Bus, a mobile donating site, while he stocking up on supplies at a Tampa Walmart.
A pastor of a Tampa church, he says now is especially the time to come together.
“The blood is not for me, it’s for somebody else and it’s important to be able to give to the community. So I would really encourage people to get involved,” said Nance.
Kerry Nance, a pastor from Tampa, donating blood.
The extra efforts of the crew did not go unnoticed. Elaine March just hopes more people will answer the call.
“We all need to really be working together right now to help everybody. And this is an easy way to do it.”
Savoury could not agree more.
“Especially since everything is closing, they have nothing else to do. This would be the best thing to come out and be a lifesaving donor,” said Savoury.
“How can you not be motivated by saving lives,” said Gaffney.
TO LEARN MORE ON HOW TO DONATE CLICK HERE: ONEBLOOD