With blood drives being canceled all over the country, The American Red Cross is beginning to experience a “crisis within a crisis” -- a dangerously low blood supply. People throughout Utah have been wondering how they can help during this pandemic. One way is by taking the time to donate blood.
Derek Forbes is a pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Logan where a blood drive is being held on Friday. He said by donating one or two units of blood, anywhere from one to three people are helped.
“It turns out there are actually blood drives all over Cache Valley in coming days," said Forbes. "So if anyone is interested, they can go to redcross.org and they can sign up for the blood drive at First Presbyterian church or other ones that are at banks or at stores, some of them are at ward houses. This is certainly a time where blood is needed. There's demand for blood every day of the year across the country. But with more people in the hospital, from this coded 19 issue, the need is a bit greater”
Forbes said the Red Cross is being very careful and taking extra measures to avoid the spread of COVID-19 from these blood drives.
“They have hand sanitizer available, they're doing temperature checks when you arrive," said Forbes. "So that nobody comes in that might potentially be sick, and they also are spacing their bed farther than they normally did so that there is that kind of social distancing”
For more information on the steps the Red Cross is taking or to find a blood drive near you, visit redcrossblood.org.
