Local blood banks are asking healthy individuals to donate, assuring a sterile, safe environment.

PORTLAND, Ore. — At the Red Cross Blood Donation center in North Portland, Stacey Darden reclined comfortably wrapped in a blanket while donating platelets.

“There was a shortage and the Red Cross started calling me a lot,” she said. “It just seemed like an easy thing to do to help out.”



For Stacey, it was a platelet donation. For others, it’s a blood donation. The Red Cross said there's an urgent need for all of it.



“We are trying to actively avoid a blood shortage,” said Amie Rawson, Biomedical Services Regional Executive with the Red Cross.

She pointed to concern over the coronavirus for their donations push. In the span of a day, Rawson said blood drive cancellations doubled, costing them around 3,500 blood donations, nationwide.

Businesses were canceling corporate blood drives as employees shifted to work from home. Schools and senior centers canceled blood drives amidst closures and quarantines.



“If we continue to see that rate of cancellations, it will have a very detrimental impact,” said Rawson.



In Vancouver, staff at Bloodworks Northwest expressed similar concerns.

“Every blood bank is going to need help,” said Kara Lewis, program manager for community engagement with Bloodworks Northwest. She noted the nonprofit blood bank had lost 600 donations across Oregon and Washington over Coronavirus concerns and said they need 1,000 donations a day to maintain a reliable blood supply.



“The worst-case scenario is if we don't have blood donors then we will not have blood for surgeries for traumas or platelets for cancer patients,” said Lewis. "It'll have to be a critical decision made by doctors on a case-by-case basis."



Experts note that giving blood won't weaken a donor's immune system- something Lewis hopes potential donors understand.



“Really, they're saving lives,” said Lewis. “We can't thank them enough.”



Back at the Red Cross, Rawson offered her own assurances.



“Is it safe to donate blood? Of course, it is absolutely safe,” said Rawson. “This is a very sterile environment.”



The Red Cross was taking extra precautions to keep sick people from even entering its blood donation center. Volunteers were taking everyone’s temperature, first. Those with temperatures over 99.5 degrees weren't allowed to donate. Rawson cautioned potential donors to avoid drinking hot beverages before coming in, as that may lead to inaccurately high-temperature readings.