As COVID cases rise, need for blood rises, too

Blood donors have dropped by nearly 10% in the last few weeks, according to a news release from the American Red Cross.

This could be due to the cancellation of blood drives due to the pandemic and donors being less available due to back-to-school preparations, the release said.

However, the drop is concerning, especially with the delta variant causing a rise in COVID-19 cases and a “potentially active hurricane season,” all of which may impact blood or platelet donation, the release said.

As a “thank you” for donating, those who donate in September will receive a coupon for a free haircut at participating Sport Clips locations. The coupon will arrive in the donor’s email several days after their donation.

In addition, the Red Cross will screen “all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait,” the release said. This screening has two benefits.

The screening for sickle cell disease will provide a health insight to Black donors. These donors will receive the results in one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

But the sickle cell screening will also help the Red Cross quickly identify compatible blood types.

Blood transfusion may be part of the treatment for a person with sickle cell disease. Complications can be minimized when donations are from people with the same blood type, ethnicity and race, according to the Red Cross.

Donors can expect to receive sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

In Will County, people can donate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Romeoville Recreation Center, located at 900 W Romeo Road in Romeoville; and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 14, at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 402 Singleton Place in Joliet.

Or schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

In addition, Versiti Blood Center of Illinois has a donor facility at 2625 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet. Visit donate.illinois.versiti.org and click the “Schedule to Donate” tab.