Eligible donors urged to continue to give blood amid COVID-19 concerns
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March 19, 2020
The Washington State Department of Health, alongside partners at Bloodworks Northwest, is encouraging eligible donors to continue to give blood.
Growing concerns about COVID-19 is leading to an increased number of canceled blood drives, which is impacting the amount of blood available for those in need. This is creating a significant public health risk and puts our local blood supply in danger of collapse.
“Our region’s blood stores are extremely low. We should not let fear from one health issue create another,” Gov. Jay Inslee said. “I encourage everyone to donate blood and help their communities.”
Donating blood is a safe activity and there is no risk of contracting coronavirus from the blood donation process. However, do not donate if, in the last month, you have:
· Traveled to a country with a CDC Level 3 Travel Health Notice for a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. (Go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/after-travel-precautions.html for more information.)
· Lived with individuals diagnosed with or suspected of having COVID-19.
· Been diagnosed with or suspected of having COVID-19.
In addition, the normal donor screening process includes evaluation of your temperature, current health, and travel history.
Donating blood saves lives. All types of blood are needed for cancer treatment, trauma cases, and many other situations. The process only takes an hour and actual donation time is about 10 minutes.
More information on coronavirus and donating blood is available from Bloodworks Northwest at http://www.bloodworksnw.org/coronavirus. For additional information on COVID-19, visit:
· Washington State Department of Health
· Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
DOH has established a call center to address questions from the public. For questions about what is happening in Washington state please call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.
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