The United Way of Lamar County (UWLC) is partnering with Carter Blood Care for a safe blood drive for Lamar County.
Two Carter Blood Care buses will be in the parking lot at the corner of Lamar Ave. and Collegiate Dr., on Saturday, July 25 from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. By appointment only – CLICK HERE to register.
UWLC Executive Director Jenny Wilson said, “blood donations are still necessary during the coronavirus pandemic, but according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the number of blood donations is down. The donated blood supply has been reduced during the pandemic due to social distancing and the cancelation of local blood drives. But when you donate blood, you are helping save lives.”
According to the FDA, every two seconds, one person needs a blood transfusion. In health care settings, donated blood is a potentially life-saving and essential part of caring for patients.
Blood donations are critical for:
- Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
- People with sickle cell disease
- Trauma victims from car accidents
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages people who are well to continue to donate blood. And, if you have recovered from COVID-19 you may be eligible to donate blood plasma. Respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 are not known to be transmitted by blood transfusion, and there haven’t been any reported cases of coronavirus from blood transfusion.
During the blood drive on Saturday, all necessary precautions and enhanced protocols will be taken to keep donors and staff safe.
