Flu season may further impact Red Cross blood supply

As the holidays approach and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns about a potential spike in flu cases this year, it’s important that those who are eligible, healthy and feeling well make an appointment to donate blood. The American Red Cross continues to address an ongoing emergency blood shortage, and donors are urged to give now to combat the lowest blood supply levels at this time of year in more than a decade.

According to the CDC, flu cases reached an all-time low last year due to masking, physical distancing and shutdowns across the country, and many Americans may have reduced immunity this year. When seasonal illness increases, the number of healthy blood donors tends to decrease. Paired with winter weather, busy holiday schedules and ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the already-struggling blood supply could be further impacted throughout winter.

There is no blood donation waiting period for those who have received a flu shot or a Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine or booster, so long as they are symptom-free. Donors are urged to schedule an appointment now by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

To encourage donors to help meet the needs of hospital patients this month, all who come to donate Nov. 1-23 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email, thanks to Amazon.* Those who come to give around the Thanksgiving holiday, Nov. 24-28, will receive a pair of Red Cross socks, while supplies last.

Blood drive safety

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Nov. 16-30

IN

Cass

Galveston

11/23/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Galveston Community Center, 101 South Park Road

Twelve Mile

11/17/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Twelve Mile Community Building, 7913 E State Road 16

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Elkhart

Goshen

11/16/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/17/2021: 12 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/17/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Pleasant View Church, 58529 CR 23

11/18/2021: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/19/2021: 7 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/20/2021: 7 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/21/2021: 7 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/22/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/23/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/24/2021: 12 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/26/2021: 7 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/27/2021: 7 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/28/2021: 7 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/29/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

11/30/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

New Paris

11/16/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Sunnyside Park, 68546 S. Clinton

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Fulton

Rochester

11/16/2021: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., St. Joseph Parish Hall, 1310 Main St.

11/26/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Fulton County 4-H Community Building #2, 1009 W. 3rd

11/30/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fulton County Library, 320 W. 7th Street

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Grant

Swayzee

11/22/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Swayzee United Methodist Church, 306 S Washington

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Howard

Kokomo

11/16/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., First Church of the Nazarene, 2734 S Washington St

11/18/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., First Friends Meeting, 1801 Zartman

11/24/2021: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union, 201 E. Southway Blvd

11/30/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1204 North Armstrong

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Jasper

Remington

11/26/2021: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Apostolic Fellowship Hall, 16448 S US Hwy 231

Wheatfield

11/20/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., American Legion – Wheatfield, 11712 North 50 West

11/24/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Krol Family Medicine, 165 E Robbins Street

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Kosciusko

Warsaw

11/20/2021: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Wal-mart, 2501 Walton Blvd.

11/29/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Center Lake Pavilion, 117 Canal St.

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La Porte

La Porte

11/19/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., LaPorte High School, 602 F Street

11/23/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Bethany Lutheran Church, 102 G Street

11/26/2021: 7 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Northwest Health Laporte, 1007 W. Lincolnway

Michigan City

11/24/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Uptown Social, 907 Franklin Street

Rolling Prairie

11/16/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. John Kanty, 7012 North 600 East

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Lagrange

Lagrange

11/22/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., LaGrange First United Methodist Church, 209 W. Spring Street

Shipshewana

11/30/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Michiana Event Center, 455 E. Farver Street

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Lake

Crown Point

11/18/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Holy Spirit Church, 7667 East 109th Avenue

11/29/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Lakes of the Four Seasons, 1048 N Lakeshore Drive

Highland

11/16/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., North Township, 2215 Ridge Road

Hobart

11/22/2021: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Hobart Community Center, 111 E Old Ridge Road

Merrillville

11/20/2021: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Merrillville Blood Donation Center, 791 East 83rd Ave

11/22/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Merrillville Blood Donation Center, 791 East 83rd Ave

11/29/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Merrillville Blood Donation Center, 791 East 83rd Ave

11/30/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Merrillville Donation Center, 791 E. 83rd Ave

Saint John

11/30/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Suncrest Christian Church, 10009 Parrish Ave

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Marshall

Argos

11/18/2021: 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Argos United Methodist Church, 540 N Michigan St.

Bremen

11/17/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Bremen High School & Bremen Elementary School, 511 W Grant St.

11/17/2021: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., St. Isidore Hall, 803 W. Bike St.

Donaldson

11/23/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Ancilla College, 9601 S. Union

Lapaz

11/27/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Cornerstone Community Fellowship Church, 1375 Maple Road

Plymouth

11/23/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Plymouth Public Library, 201 N. Center Street

11/24/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Plymouth Community Church, 11802 Lincoln Hwy

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Miami

Denver

11/22/2021: 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., First Baptist Church of Denver, 111 N Yorick

11/23/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., North Miami High School, 570 East CR 900 North

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Porter

Chesterton

11/22/2021: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Franciscan Health Fitness Centers Chesterton, 810 Michael Drive

Hebron

11/18/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., First Church – Hebron Campus, 800 Country Square Plaza

Portage

11/17/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Portage Public Library, 2665 Irving Street

11/26/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., YMCA of Portage, 3100 Willowcreek Rd.

Valparaiso

11/16/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Valparaiso University, 1410 Chapel Drive

11/17/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., YMCA Valparaiso, 1201 Cumberland Crossing Dr.

11/18/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 505 Bullseye Lake Road

11/21/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 3401 N. Valparaiso Street

11/24/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Opportunity Enterprises, 2801 Evans Ave

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Pulaski

Winamac

11/17/2021: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 340 E. 50 N.

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St Joseph

Granger

11/18/2021: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Knollwood Country Club, 16633 Baywood Ln

Notre Dame

11/29/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame University

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Tippecanoe

Lafayette

11/18/2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Faith Church, 5572 Mercy Way

11/29/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., River City Community Center, 2842 Old US 231 S

West Lafayette

11/30/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Faith West, 1920 Northwestern Avenue

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Wabash

North Manchester

11/23/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Manchester Administration Offices (Old Jr. HS), 404 West 9th Street

11/23/2021: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Manchester Administration Offices (Old Jr. HS), 404 West 9th Street

Wabash

11/16/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 110 N. Cass St.

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White

Monon

11/24/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Monon Civic Center, 400 North Market Street

Save time during donation

Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.

Health insights for donors

At a time when health information has never been more important, the Red Cross is screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. This additional screening will provide Black donors with an additional health insight and help the Red Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly to help patients with sickle cell disease who require trait-negative blood. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and blood donations from individuals of the same race, ethnicity and blood type have a unique ability to help patients fighting sickle cell disease.

Donors can expect to receive sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.