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STILL OPEN THE NEED IS STILL THERE. AND IF YOU ARE HEALTHY THIS IS YOUR CALL TO ACTION. THE COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER SERVES NEARLY 60 HOSPITALS IN MISSOURI AND KANSAS. 70% OF THE BLOOD COLLECTED COMES FROM BLOOD DRIVES. DURING THIS COVID-19 CRISIS THOSE ARE GONE. SO IF YOU’RE HEALTHY, YOU’RE BEING URGED TO DONATE AT ONE OF IT’S 7 DONOR SITES. >> WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN AND IS VITAL TO HAVE DONORS COMING IN, OTHERWISE IT WILL DROP IN WE WILL HAVE A SEPARATE ISSUE ON OUR HANDS. >> ELECTIVE SURGERIES ARE BEING CANCELLED BUT THAT ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR 10% OF THE BLOOD SUPPLY. SOME OF THE FIRST TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS SHORTAGE WILL BE CANCER PATIENTS, MOTHERS IN LABOR AND ACCIDENT VICTIMS. IF YOU’RE HIGH RISK FOR COVID -19 YOU SHOULD NOT DONATE. BUT YOU CAN BE PRE-SCREENED AND IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE, THIS IS A CRITICAL TIME TO STEP UP. >> STILL, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS. >> DOES IT PUT ME AT RISK TO CATCH DISEASE, ALL RESEARCH INDICATES THAT IS NOT THE CASE. >> SO IF YOU’RE HOME NOW WONDERING HOW YOU CAN HELP DURING THIS CRISIS, CONSIDER THIS.

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The coronavirus outbreak is affecting the blood supply in Kansas City.The Community Blood Center serves nearly 60 hospitals in Missouri and Kansas. Seventy percent of the blood collected comes from blood drives . During this COVID-19 crisis, those have been canceled.If you are healthy, you're being urged to donate at one of its seven donor sites."We're doing everything we can to make sure our centers are a safe place for you to be. And it is vital we have donors continue coming in over the coming months, otherwise, our blood supply is going to drop and we're going to have a completely separate public health issue on our hands," said Chelsey Smith, of the Community Blood Center.Elective surgeries are being canceled, but that only accounts for 10 percent of the blood supply. Some of the first to be affected by this shortage will be cancer patients, mothers in labor and accident victims.Those who are at high risk for COVID-19 should not donate. But those interested can be prescreened and if they are eligible, this is a critical time to step up. Still, a lot of people have questions."Does blood donation weaken my immune system? Does it put me more at risk to catch the disease? All research indicates that that is not the case," Smith said.If you're home now wondering how you can help during this crisis, consider how dire the situation is. "If people don't come in and donate blood, we don't have it. It's very alarming right now for sure," Smith said.