GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Versiti Blood Center of Michigan is urging people to continue to donate blood after 81 blood drives statewide were canceled, when schools and other organizations closed to protect people from the spread of the coronavirus.
More than 2,000 units of blood were lost as a result of the cancellations.
"If we don't have donors coming out to give, then we don't have blood to supply our hospitals and that is critical for patients who have cancer, for hemophiliacs who are undergoing surgery, for people who have been in car accidents. Those things are not going to stop," said area Vice President Dawn Kaiser.
Versiti employees are reminding people that the blood donation process poses no risk of infecting a donor with the coronavirus. Versiti's chief medical officer said COVID-19 is currently not known to be transmitted through blood transfusions.
"Donors and our blood drive sponsors should be reassured that attending organized blood drives is safe," said Dr. Tom Abshire.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Versiti has increased its cleaning procedures in all donor centers.
"We are equipped with healthy staff," Kaiser said. "We are disinfecting after every single donor. When donors present we're going to take their temperature. We're going to ask them several questions to ensure that they're healthy and ready to go."
They are urging people to make appointments to donate blood or walk into any blood donation center throughout Michigan.
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