MA Coronavirus: Blood Donors Sought Amid Severe Shortage

BOSTON — Blood centers across Massachusetts are seeking donors amid a severe shortage due to coronavirus-related cancellations.

Thousands of blood drives have been canceled because of the new coronavirus outbreak, leading to over 200,000 fewer donations through Friday, according to the Red Cross. More than 80 percent of the organization's blood donations come from drives at places like workplaces, college campuses and schools.

Giving blood is one way people can help out during this ongoing public health crisis, American Red Cross President Gail McGovern said in a statement Saturday.

“As a nation, this is a time where we must take care of one another including those most vulnerable among us in hospitals,” McGovern said. “One of the most important things people can do right now during this public health emergency is to give blood. If you are healthy and feeling well, please make an appointment to donate as soon as possible.”

The Red Cross has seven donation centers in Massachusetts. Find the closest one and make an appointment to give blood here. The Red Cross also asked that organizations maintain their scheduled blood drives.

As of Monday, over 100 drives were canceled in Massachusetts alone, the Boston Globe reported.

Hospitals like Massachusetts General and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are reporting similar concerns and asking residents to make appointments at their blood donations centers.

There is no evidence that the new virus can be transmitted through blood transfusion, according to the Red Cross.

“We understand why people may be hesitant to come out for a blood drive but want to reassure the public that blood donation is a safe process, and that we have put additional precautions in place at our blood drives to protect the health of safety of our donors and staff,” said McGovern.

In addition to standard procedures to ensure safety, the Red Cross has added new blood donation protocols to prevent the spread of the new virus:

• "Checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy.
• Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process.
• Spacing beds, where possible, to follow social distancing practices between blood donors.
• Increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment."

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Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

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