Blood donations now being tested for COVID-19 antibodies
Numerous summer events may be canceled, but those who wish to donate blood to the American Red Cross can still do so.
There is currently an urgent need for blood donors to help prevent a summer shortage and all blood types are needed, confirmed Ronnika McFall, Red Cross communications manager.
“There continues to be an urgent need for blood donations as hospitals resume surgeries and treatments that require blood products,” McFall noted.
The Northeast Georgia Red Cross will conduct two July blood drives in Gilmer County. The first will take place at the George Link Jr. Gilmer Arts Playhouse, 135 Dalton Street, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, July 9. Another blood drive will follow at the Ellijay Lions Club, 1729 South Main Street, from noon-6 p.m. Thursday, July 11.
“The Ellijay Lions Club has been unwavering in their support of the blood program and I was thrilled when Gilmer Arts reached out to us to host a blood drive for us. (These) blood drive should help us provide opportunities for all of our devoted Gilmer County blood donors,” said Cheryl Mahan, donor recruitment account manager for the Northeast Georgia Red Cross.
A blood drive that was scheduled to be held in August at the Gilmer County Library has been canceled due to the library not yet opening its community room for events, Mahan noted. Another drive originally scheduled for April at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Talking Rock has been postponed to a tentative date in October.
“That date may change dependent on the status of the COVID-19 outbreak,” Mahan said.
A blood drive will be a different type of event for Gilmer Arts’ downtown Ellijay playhouse, which is not currently presenting its regular schedule of concerts and other performing arts events.
“I don’t believe Gilmer Arts has ever hosted a blood drive. We wanted to find a way to help the community and there seems to be a need, so we’re working with the American Red Cross to do this,” said Elizabeth Vititoe, Gilmer Arts president.
Duane Hall, blood drive coordinator for the Ellijay Lions, said the local Lions Club has maintained its regular schedule of hosting blood drives every other month. Another Lions Club drive is scheduled for September.
“We’ve had them in January, March and May and were fixing to have one in July. We haven’t missed a time yet,” noted Hall.
Mahan emphasized the current need for blood donors to make an appointment in advance, which will help cut down on the number of people gathered at one time.
“The Red Cross has decreased the size of the blood drives to help us have room for social distancing protocols. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and they are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, which is in alignment with the CDC’s public guidance,” she added.
The requirement that masks or face coverings be worn by donors and staff is one of several new safety precautions adopted by the Red Cross during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those measures also include checking temperatures of staff and donors before entering a blood drive, providing hand sanitizer to use throughout the donation process, staff wearing gloves and changing them often, using an aseptic scrub for every donation and routinely disinfecting surfaces, equipment and donor-touched areas.
“Individuals who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should not present to donate until they are symptom free for 28 days,” McFall said.
The Red Cross Blood Donor mobile app can now be used to make appointments. Blood and platelet donors can also use the app’s RapidPass feature to complete such tasks as a pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online before attending a blood drive.
More details about the donor app, appointments available for local blood drives and donation eligibility requirements are available online at RedCrossBlood.org.
To call ahead and make an appointment to give blood, dial 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Antibody testing now performed
In June, the Red Cross began testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies and will continue to do so for a limited time.
“The antibody test used by the Red Cross is authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and it may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to the coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms. Donations will be tested using samples pulled at the time of donation and sent to a testing laboratory where they will also undergo routine infectious disease testing. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity,” McFall explained.
“Donors can expect to receive the results of their antibody test within seven to 10 days through our blood donor app or on the donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org,” said Mahan.
The antibody test is different than a diagnostic test, which tells patients whether they’ve tested positive or negative for the virus. The Red Cross does not perform diagnostic tests for COVID-19, McFall noted.
“A diagnostic test detects current infection. An antibody test screens for antibodies in your blood. Antibodies are formed when fighting and infection, like COVID-19. An antibody test assesses whether your immune system has responded to the infection, not if the virus or infection is currently active,” she added.