Courtesy of LIFELINE Blood Services
LIFELINE Blood Services announced Tuesday that their critical appeal status continues into week three.
“We want the public to know that coming in to donate in our center and blood mobiles is safe,” said Caitlin Roach, Marketing Manager with LIFELINE. “We are taking every possible precaution to keep our donors safe so that we can supply blood to healthcare providers across West Tennessee. Everyone who enters the building or mobile unit must sanitize, answer our COVID questionnaire, and have a temperature check. Our staff is in full PPE and has been trained in COVID prevention safety. Our facility and mobile units are thoroughly cleaned throughout the day, and each chair is sanitized between donors.”
All donations are being tested for COVID-19 antibodies through December 31st, and the need for COVID convalescent plasma continues. Those who are fully recovered from COVID-19 are encouraged to come in and donate plasma to go to COVID-19 patients in local hospitals.
“We have no substitute for blood, and we cannot get blood from other blood banks because the entire country is facing a shortage,” said LIFELINE Blood Services Director of Community Services, Tonya Johnson. “We are urging anyone who can to please respond by giving blood as soon as possible.”
Lifeline Blood Services, located at 183 Sterling Farms Drive, is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., but will be closed this week on Thanksgiving Day. Walk-ins are welcome. However, if you would like to make an appointment, you may text the word “schedule” to 999-777 or, to speak with someone about donating blood, call 731.427.4431, ext. 0.
This week’s Mobile Blood Drives are listed below:
Tuesday, November 24
First United Methodist Church – Newbern from 12:00pm – 6:00pm
Wal-Mart Supercenter – Brownsville from 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Wal-Mart – Ripley from 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Wednesday, November 25
Wal-Mart Supercenter – Lexington from 11:00am – 3:00pm
Middleton Community Center from 11:00am – 3:00pm
Kroger – Savannah from 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Friday, November 27
Lowe’s – Dyersburg from 11:00am – 3:00pm
Tate Family Foods – Greenfield from 12:00pm – 4:00pm
LIFELINE provides blood services to 20 West Tennessee counties and two regional areas. Annually, the Center collects approximately 26,000 blood products (red cell units, platelets, plasma, etc.) to meet the needs of patients. Of that total, 75% of those products are collected on the bloodmobiles across West Tennessee. LIFELINE also provides reference lab and cross- matching services to healthcare facilities.