Center issues appeal as blood donations drop, demand increases

By LAURA WEICK
Posted 7/16/20

The Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC) is in urgent need of donations due to numerous factors caused by COVID-19. According to Kara LeBlanc, marketing and communications manager for the RIBC, fewer people have been able to donate blood

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Center issues appeal as blood donations drop, demand increases

Posted

The Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC) is in urgent need of donations due to numerous factors caused by COVID-19.

According to Kara LeBlanc, marketing and communications manager for the RIBC, fewer people have been able to donate blood during the pandemic since many traditional blood drives have been cancelled. This has resulted in a blood shortage in the state’s hospitals as more people enter them for non COVID-19 related issues.

“Summertime is already really challenging for blood centers because schools and colleges are out of session, people are on vacation and now the pandemic,” LeBlanc said. “People don’t want to give because of that, they may be afraid [of catching COVID-19.] And we have to book by appointment in order to maintain that safe social distancing. Before we could have a huge community blood drive and can rely on walk-ins. That’s not happening. Many companies that have blood drives also don’t have employees on site; they’re working from home. So what we really need are new people to come donate and help the existing donors who are very dedicated.”

LeBlanc said that RIBC typically needs 75,000 donations per year for all different products. Last July, RIBC ran 117 blood drives state wide, collecting 3,018 donations. However, this year there were only 55 blood drives in July for about 1,600 donations. LeBlanc said that information regarding blood donations directly at centers were hard to compare because centers increased their capacity this year.

In June and July of 2019, there were 23 mobile blood drives the in Warwick area, according to LeBlanc, with 484 donations.

This summer for same period of time, RIBC is running 7 total and projecting 159 donations.

LeBlanc also explained that the amount of blood hospitals need has risen above pre-pandemic levels, since those who may have been unable to receive treatment in the spring may suffer worse symptoms now, and need more blood as a result. LeBlanc said the most common receivers of blood are cancer patients, those with blood disorders, women with childbirth complications and people who have suffered from incidents like car accidents.

“People weren’t going to get the treatment they needed even if they wanted to [at the height of the pandemic],” LeBlanc said. “So hospitals needed to cancel elective procedures in order to prepare for a surge. But now when we’re reopening again, they figured out how to give treatment they need without spreading COVID.”

Although the pressing need for blood has been made clear, many who would have typically donated blood have not done so recently due to fears of potentially catching or spreading COVID-19. However, LeBlanc said RIBC is keeping staff and donors safe by checking temperatures upon entry, requiring staff and donors to wear facemasks and regularly disinfecting high touch surfaces. LeBlanc also said that all equipment used during a blood donation procedure is sterilized and heavily sanitized. Due to the pandemic, donors will have to schedule donation appointments, since walk-ins are no longer allowed.

“We have many safety measures in place,” LeBlanc explained. “I get that concern, it’s how people should think. But go on the website and look at the safety measures we have listed. We have sanitation on everything in the center, and there’s currently no evidence that COVID is transmitted via blood cells.”

Another concern is those scheduling appointments to donate blood not holding true to them. LeBlanc estimates that about 20 percent of scheduled donors do not show up to their appointment. If these appoints are scheduled and not attended, there is not way to make up for them since walk-ins are no longer allowed.

Although blood centers all across the country have struggled during the pandemic, LeBlanc said that Warwick’s center at 615 Greenwich Ave. is particularly in need of donors.

“Some of the centers we have like Providence tend to be more booked up, but Warwick booking has not been great lately,” LeBlanc said. “We’re not sure why that is, but the center is beautiful, has a ton of capacity, and we’re hoping that people will book donations there.”

There are several blood drives occurring in Warwick. The Gianna Cirella Blood Drive happened on Wednesday. Cirella was a high school student who passed because of sepsis in 2017, and the drive is held in her honor.

The Rhode Island Democratic Party’s Veterans and Military Council is also holding a blood drive at 200 Metro Center Blvd. on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Joseph McNamara, RIDP’s chairman, said that Senator Jack Reed, Rep. David Cicilline and state legislators will attend the event.

“We’re expecting a good showing,” McNamara said. “This is the first blood drive we’ve had, and with people getting back on the road, and with backlogged surgeries [due to COVID], we hope to help.”

Those wishing to donate blood must be at least 17 years old and weigh over 110 lbs. 16-year-olds can donate if they weigh over 130 and have parental permission. A standard donation withdraws red blood cells, platelets, plasma and white blood cells.

Men who are at least 5’1 and weight over 130 lbs and women who are at least 5’5 and weigh over 150 can also perform a double red blood cell donation, in which only red blood cells are donated.

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