Red Cross Needs Blood Donations After Winter Storms

FARMINGTON — Record-breaking cold and winter storms across much of the U.S. have had a significant impact on blood and platelet donations. The American Red Cross is urging healthy individuals, especially those with type O blood, to give now to ensure blood products are available for patient emergencies when help can’t wait.

Extreme winter weather has forced the cancellation of hundreds of Red Cross blood drives in about 30 states and caused more than 15,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. In Connecticut, over 480 donations have gone uncollected with at least 15 blood drives canceled across the state over the past week.

Every day thousands of patients rely on lifesaving blood donations. The need for blood is constant, even during snowstorms and the COVID-19 pandemic. To help ensure lifesaving patient care isn’t impacted, individuals are urged to make appointments to donate in the coming days and weeks by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1 – 800-RED CROSS (1 – 800-733‑2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device

Important COVID-19 information for donors

The Red Cross is testing blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies. The test may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether an individual developed COVID-19 symptoms. Red Cross antibody tests will be helpful to identify individuals who have COVID-19 antibodies and may now help current coronavirus patients in need of convalescent plasma transfusions. Convalescent plasma is a type of blood donation collected from COVID-19 survivors that have antibodies that may help patients who are actively fighting the virus. Plasma from whole blood donations that test positive for high levels of COVID-19 antibodies may be used to help COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19 antibody test results will be available within one to two weeks in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity. The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, it is important that individuals who do not feel well or believe they may be ill with COVID-19 postpone donation.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Feb. 22-March 15:

New Haven County

Ansonia

3/13/2021: 7:45 a.m. – 1 p.m., Holy Rosary Church, Father Salemi Drive

Bethany

2/24/2021: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Bethany Town Hall, 40 Peck Road

Branford

2/25/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Branford Elks #1939, 158 South Montowese St.

3/4/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., ST MARY CHURCH BRANFORD, 731 Main St

3/6/2021: 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Soundview Family YMCA, 628 East Main St.

3/11/2021: 12:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Branford Community House, 46 Church Street

Cheshire

3/3/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Cornerstone Church Cheshire, 1146 Waterbury Road

3/3/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., Cornerstone Church Cheshire, 1146 Waterbury Road

East Haven

3/4/2021: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Old Stone Church, 251 Main Street

Guilford

3/4/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., EAST CREEK LANDING, 390 South Union Street

3/4/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., EAST CREEK LANDING, 390 South Union Street

Hamden

2/26/2021: 12:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Whitneyville Cultural Commons, 1253 Whitney Avenue

3/5/2021: 8 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., Whitneyville Cultural Commons, 1253 Whitney Avenue

3/5/2021: 12:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Whitneyville Cultural Commons, 1253 Whitney Avenue

3/12/2021: 12:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Whitneyville Cultural Commons, 1253 Whitney Avenue

Madison

2/25/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Lutheran Church of Madison, 9 Britton Lane

2/25/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Lutheran Church of Madison, 9 Britton Lane

3/3/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 232 Durham Road

Meriden

2/22/2021: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Meriden Church of Christ, 127 East Main Street

Milford

2/25/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Woodruff Family YMCA, 631 Orange Ave.

2/26/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Kingdom Life Christian Church, 597 Naugatuck Ave.

2/26/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Kingdom Life Christian Church, 597 Naugatuck Ave.

3/1/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Elks Club, 124 New Haven Avenue

3/1/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Elks Club, 124 New Haven Avenue

3/2/2021: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Kingdom Life Christian Church, 597 Naugatuck Ave

3/5/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St Agnes, 400 Merwin Ave

3/8/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Woodruff Family YMCA, 631 Orange Ave

3/9/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Kingdom Life Christian Church, 597 Naugatuck Ave

3/15/2021: 12:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Elks Club, 124 New Haven Ave.

Naugatuck

3/9/2021: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Naugatuck Events Center, 6 Rubber Avenue

3/9/2021: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Naugatuck Events Center, 6 Rubber Avenue

New Haven

2/23/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church, 782 Orchard Street

2/23/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church, 782 Orchard Street

3/10/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Graduate New Haven, 1151 Chapel Street

North Haven

2/27/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Scarletts Fine Events North Haven, 201 Washington Avenue

3/5/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ridge Road Elementary School, 1341 Ridge Road

3/10/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Scarletts Fine Events North Haven, 201 Washington Avenue

3/10/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Scarletts Fine Events North Haven, 201 Washington Avenue

3/13/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Scarletts Fine Events North Haven, 201 Washington Ave.

Orange

3/10/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Holy Infant Church, 450 Racebrook Road

Oxford

2/27/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Oxford Senior Center, 10 Old Church Road

3/1/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Town hall, 486 Oxford Road

South Meriden

2/28/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Baitul Aman Mosque, 410 Main Street

Southbury

2/26/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Munson-Lovetere Funeral Homes & Cremation, 235 Main Street North

3/11/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Heritage Hotel, 522 Heritage Road

Wallingford

2/24/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Wallingford Elks Lodge, 148 South Main Street

2/24/2021: 12:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Wallingford Elks Lodge, 148 South Main Street

3/2/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Wallingford Elks Lodge, 148 South Main Street

3/2/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., Wallingford Elks Lodge, 148 South Main Street

3/9/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wallingford Elks Lodge, 148 South Main Street

Waterbury

3/15/2021: 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Waterbury Hospital, 64 Robbins Street

Woodbridge

2/25/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Woodbridge Ward Church of Jesus Christ LDS, 990 Racebrook Road

2/25/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Woodbridge Ward Church of Jesus Christ LDS, 990 Racebrook Road

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