The Red Cross says blood donations are badly needed as COVID-19 forces the cancellation of blood drives across the country.
Lyn Hruska is CEO of the Red Cross chapter for Central and Southern Illinois. She said they've been forced to cancel more than 120 blood drives, so far. More than 6,000 drives have been canceled nationwide.
"One of the most important things that we can do that we do not have another healthcare crisis is to give blood," she said. "Like a hospital, a grocery store or a pharmacy, a blood drive is essential to ensuring the health of our community."
Hruska said donating blood is a safe process.
"We are adding social distancing. So the donor beds are at least six feet apart to make sure that we are keeping people safe that way. We're also adding some safety protocols. We're scrubbing down the beds between donors," she said.
She said phlebotomists are frequently changing gloves, and precautions are in place to protect the post-donation snacks from contamination.
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