Even in the best of times, the need for donated blood is constant. Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, is an especially vital time to step up to help the American Red Cross provide lifesaving blood.

Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Bloodworks Northwest are putting out the call for people who have recovered from confirmed cases of COVID-19 to donate blood plasma as part of the quest for treatments for patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections.

At this time, the Red Cross is scheduling blood drives with partners for May/June timeframe. With thousands of blood drives cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Cross is working hard to open new donation sites. In the meantime, please search 14 days out or beyond. To support social distancing, appointments are now required.

“To ensure the safety of donors and our workers at blood drives, the Red Cross has implemented additional precautions, such as providing workers with basic face masks, temperature checks for workers and donors; providing hand sanitizer for use before and during the donation process; spacing beds, where possible, to follow social distancing practices between blood donors; and enhanced disinfection of surfaces and equipment,” says Nathan Duncan, development officer for the Red Cross’s Northwest region.

“To mitigate the devastating impact of shortages for patients in need, we must ensure the availability of frontline workers and resources to safely collect, test and manufacture blood,” Duncan says, adding the Red Cross plans to recruit, hire and train more phlebotomists in the coming months to ensure they can backfill vacancies and continue to collect blood from anyone who would like to and is able to donate.

“We will also maintain blood collection staff in any area where blood collections are suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, allowing us to quickly resume normal blood collection operations once we are able to do so,” he says. “We hope you join us in our fight to save lives through the power of life saving blood donations.”