Statewide Iowa (RI/KIWA) — Blood drives are being canceled or postponed across Iowa due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the state’s blood centers are again asking the public for help to meet demand. Kirby Winn, a spokesman for an Iowa blood center, says the need for blood and blood products never ends. Winn says they’re making every effort to make the donation process smooth — and safe.
(As above) “We want to assure any prospective donor that if you are healthy and well when you come in to donate, that’s not going to change as a consequence of blood donation,” Winn says. “Our locations are very clean and we’re putting additional focus on wiping down surfaces and all the hygienic practices that exist in the first place around blood donation.”
It’s vital that safe conditions are maintained and he suggests if you’ve been feeling sick, especially with a cough and fever, stay home.
(As above) “If it has an impact that ultimately could mean a patient who requires a blood transfusion can’t receive it, then we haven’t done our job,” Winn says. “We’re asking donors who are feeling healthy and well, we know with all the cancellations, people have some extra time on their hands, please use some of that time as a blood donor.”
Siouxland Community Blood Bank Executive Director Ken Ver Steeg is also calling for more donors.
(as said:)”We center our spring collections around high school and college students — people that donate blood for the very first time — and when college students and high schools are not hosting blood drives and are unable to go to school, it becomes extremely difficult to maintain an adequate supply of blood.”
In order to deal with the shortage, the Community Blood Bank has set up a number of emergency pop-up blood drives. For more information, you can go to cbblifeblood.org.
