Amidst novel coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention measures, Vitalant and other blood centers nationwide are urging healthy individuals to donate blood—and organizations to maintain scheduled blood drives—to ensure patients have the lifesaving blood they need. Public health officials are enacting a number of measures to limit COVID-19 and Vitalant supports these initiatives. Blood centers have always required individuals to be in good health to donate blood, and the blood collection process follows policies established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the health and safety of donors and patients. Currently, all blood types and components are needed, with a significant need for platelets and type O blood donations. Platelets have a very short shelf life; only five days. Type O-negative blood is the universal blood type, frequently used in traumas, and can help stabilize all patients. Vitalant strives to maintain a 4-day supply of blood just to provide what patients need, and currently they are at less than half that for many blood types. In addition to barring non-healthy individuals from donating, Vitalant is alerting individuals not to donate if they have visited Mainland China, South Korea, Iran and Italy within 28 days, or have had a COVID-19 infection, or been exposed to someone suspected of having a COVID-19 infection. For more information visit Vitalant.org.
