Blood Drive Scheduled for December 17th

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

The American Red Cross and the Garrett County Health Department will host a blood drive on Friday, December 17, from 12 to 5 p.m. at the Health Department’s office at 1025 Memorial Drive in Oakland. All donors at blood drives from Dec. 17-Jan. 2 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt while supplies last.

The American Red Cross urges donors to continue to make and keep appointments during the holiday season to help overcome the ongoing emergency blood and platelet shortage that has significantly impacted the nation’s blood supply. In fact, the current blood supply is the lowest the Red Cross has seen this time of year in more than a decade.

Each Red Cross blood drive 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 urged to schedule an appointment now by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-733-2767, or calling Sadie at the health department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.

Anyone feeling unwell for any reason, should postpone their donation. Individuals who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should not present to donate until they are symptom free for 14 days and feeling well and healthy.

To donate blood, a person must be healthy, weigh at least 110 pounds, be at least 17 years old, (or 16 years old with parental consent form), and have not donated blood in the last 56 days.

Donors can 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.