Several appointment slots remain open for the upcoming American Red Cross blood drive, to be held on Tuesday at the Piankatank Ruritan Club in Hudgins.
The drive will run from 12:30 to 6 p.m., but prospective donors need to make their reservations in advance, in keeping with new safety procedures in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Walk-in donors will not be accepted for this drive, a release said.
Those considering donating are encouraged to go online to www.redcrossblood.org and select an available appointment time.
The American Red Cross has put in place a number of additional safety protocols to protect both donors and employees.
At each blood drive or donation center, Red Cross employees will be wearing gloves and changing them often; wiping down donor-touched areas after every collection; using sterile collection sets for every donation; preparing the arm for donation with aseptic scrub, and conducting donor mini-physicals to ensure donors are healthy and well on day of donation.
Donors will notice the changes when they arrive, with a temperature check taken before beginning the process. Donors will also be provided hand sanitizer for use before entering and throughout the appointment. Church volunteers have made masks for the Mathews donors. Social distancing will be in place in all areas. Staff will be wearing basic face masks.
At present, there is a desperate need for blood donations, according to Mathews Red Cross volunteer Nan Cross. The sponsoring group for next week’s drive is Salem United Methodist Church.
Cross encourages everyone to keep checking the website to see if a slot becomes available. If you need to change or cancel your appointment, give her a call at 804-725-2485 or go to redcrossblood.org and make the change there.
In Gloucester
A blood drive is scheduled from 1-6 p.m. today at Petsworth Baptist Church. At present, all slots have been filled; continue to check www.redcrossblood.org to see if any openings occur.
Another blood drive is planned in Gloucester for April 28; details are still being worked out about that drive, according to volunteer coordinator Mary Beth Mayer.