As North Carolina enters a state of emergency amid coronavirus concerns, the Red Cross is working hard to keep up with the need for blood – not just during this outbreak and flu season, but every day.

Maya Franklin is the external communications manager for blood services in eastern North Carolina. She said donors have the ability to ensure uninterrupted medical care continues for patients who depend on lifesaving transfusions.

“The need for blood is constant and so in the midst of this outbreak it’s no different,” Franklin said. “The Red Cross is dedicated to insuring the safety and availability of the U.S. blood supply.”

That means the Red Cross is looking to stock up on their blood supply now.

The American Red Cross supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood. To do so, they need a lot of donors.

“In the eastern North Carolina area itself, we need about 220 blood donors every day to help support and fulfill the needs of our hospital partners so that they can provide those life-saving transfusions to patients,” Franklin said. “Across the nation, that comes out to about 13,000 blood donations needed every day.”

Franklin said the Red Cross already has a hard time hitting these donor goals during the regular flu season, let alone when there are fears of a different virus.

“In order to prevent any shortages in the future and be able to maintain that sufficient blood supply for patients who require life-saving transfusions we’re asking people who are healthy and eligible now to give blood.”

As people continue to get sick in North Carolina, Franklin said it’s likely less people are eligible to donate and that more blood program sponsors cancel their blood drives.

There is also an additional fear during the coronavirus outbreak that may be deterring donors: worries of contracting the virus through giving and-or receiving blood.

Franklin wants to debunk that idea immediately.

“I do want to note that there’s no data or evidence supporting that this coronavirus or any respiratory virus has been transmitted through blood transfusions,” Franklin said.

While cross-contamination of a respiratory virus does not occur through blood, the Red Cross continues to take other preventative measures to keep their workspace sterile. Franklin said Red Cross will continue to be vigilant in their normal safety protocols, as well as adapting a few new ones. These protocols include changing gloves more often, having donors use hand sanitizer throughout the process and delaying when donors can give depending on where they’ve traveled.

“We’re asking individuals to postpone their donations for 28 days if they have traveled to China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, Italy or South Korea,” Franklin said.

To find a local blood donation drive coming up in Orange County, view the times and locations listed below.

Chapel Hill

3/16/2020: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Newman Catholic Student Center, 216 Pittsboro St.

3/17/2020: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Univ of NC-CH Student Union, South Road

3/18/2020: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Univ of NC-CH Student Union, South Road

3/24/2020: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont, 100 Sprunt Street

3/31/2020: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Carolina Square, 133 West Franklin Street, Suite 100

Hillsborough

3/12/2020: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., UNC Hospitals Hillsborough, 430 Waterstone Drive

To find a different blood drive location, or to make an appointment to donate blood now, visit the American Red Cross website or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

(Photo courtesy of The American Red Cross)

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