Birmingham Area Red Cross Blood Drives Coming Up Soon

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The coronavirus pandemic has put many things on hold for the past year, but the need for local blood donations hasn’t ebbed.

The pandemic, combined with severe weather in much of the country, has challenged the nation's blood supply. All blood types are needed, especially type O.

In most states, donors need to be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health; some states allow 16-year-olds to donate with parental consent. Donors 18 years old and younger need to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Red Cross blood drives follow coronavirus safety protocols including temperature screening, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff.

Here are the Red Cross blood drives coming up in the Birmingham area in the next couple weeks. You can search for additional Red Cross blood drives from a wider area here.

• 3/24/2021: 10:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 3/24/2021: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., The Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders, 5000 Grantswood Road (Irondale)
• 3/25/2021: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bessemer Civic Center, 1130 9th Avenue SW (Bessemer)
• 3/25/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., UAB Hill Student Center, Hill Student Center, 1400 University Blvd (Birmingham)
• 3/25/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S (Birmingham)
• 3/26/2021: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 3/26/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., UAB Hill Student Center, Hill Student Center, 1400 University Blvd (Birmingham)
• 3/26/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S (Birmingham)
• 3/27/2021: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 3/28/2021: 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, 1101 Martin Luther King Drive SW (Birmingham)
• 3/28/2021: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 3/29/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S (Birmingham)
• 3/29/2021: 12:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 3/30/2021: 7 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Grandview Medical Center, 3690 Grandview Parkway (Birmingham)
• 3/30/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Levite Jewish Community Center, 3960 Montclair Rd. (Birmingham)
• 3/30/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Grandview Medical Center, 3690 Grandview Parkway (Birmingham)
• 3/30/2021: 12:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 3/30/2021: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Cahaba Brewing Company, 4500 5th Ave S (Birmingham)
• 3/31/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Central Alabama Sickle Cell Foundation, 3813 Avenue I (Birmingham)
• 3/31/2021: 10:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 4/1/2021: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mid Alabama Chapter American Red Cross, 114 22nd Street (Birmingham)
• 4/1/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S (Birmingham)
• 4/1/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Downtown YMCA of Greater Birmingham, 2101 4th Avenue North (Birmingham)
• 4/1/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 4/2/2021: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 4/2/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S (Birmingham)
• 4/2/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Brookwood Village Mall, 780 Brookwood Village (Birmingham)
• 4/3/2021: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 4/4/2021: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 4/5/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S (Birmingham)
• 4/5/2021: 12:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 4/6/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Levite Jewish Community Center, 3960 Montclair Rd. (Birmingham)
• 4/6/2021: 12:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)
• 4/7/2021: 10:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace (Birmingham)

Editor's note: This list was automatically generated using data compiled by the American Red Cross. The local blood drives included in the list are limited to those in the Red Cross data. Please report any errors or other feedback to content@patch.com. Know of another blood drive coming up in your area? You can add it to the Patch calendar using this form.

Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive. Appointments can be made via the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, online or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The Red Cross is testing all donations for COVID-19 antibodies. The antibodies may indicate a person's immune system developed antibodies in response to a coronavirus infection or a vaccine. Plasma from whole blood donations that tests positive for high levels of COVID-19 antibodies may be used in convalescent plasma treatments for coronavirus patients.

COVID-19 antibody test results will be available to donors within two weeks in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity, according to the Red Cross.