Blood Drive
Join us at Common Space to donate blood to the American Red Cross during this time of dire need.
Blood Donation is an essential need for our community and only you can help.
We are taking serious sanitary steps to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
“CDC encourages people who are well to continue to donate blood if they are able, even if they are practicing social distancing because of COVID-19.”
Quick notes about safety measures
With over 9,000 sq ft of event space, we will be spacing all donors at a minimum of 6’ from each other while waiting and registering.
Checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering the drive to make sure they are healthy.
Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process
Spacing beds to follow social distancing practices between blood donors, and
Increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.
The Need
The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this coronavirus outbreak. Healthy individuals are needed to donate now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.
As the coronavirus pandemic has grown here in the U.S., Red Cross has seen blood drive cancellations grow at an alarming rate. Through March 16 , about 2,700 Red Cross blood drives have been canceled across the country due to coronavirus concerns, resulting in 86,000 fewer blood donations. In Southern California, there have been 307 blood drives cancelled and Red Cross will be unable to collect 10,881 units of blood as a result.
Workplaces, college campuses and schools are canceling their blood drives as these locations temporarily close and more people are being told to work remotely and practice social distancing.
We are expecting cancellations to continue to increase, which is causing heightened concern for blood collection organizations and hospitals across the country.
Safety Measures
We understand why people may be hesitant to come out for a blood drive, but want to reassure the public that Common Space and the American Red Cross have implemented additional precautions to ensure the safety of our donors and staff in response to concern, including:
Checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy
Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process
Spacing beds to follow social distancing practices between blood donors, and
Increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.
We also want to emphasize that at each blood drive and donation center, Red Cross employees already follow thorough safety protocols to help prevent the spread of any type of infection.
These strict safety protocols include:
Wearing gloves and changing gloves with each donor
Routinely wiping down donor-touched areas
Using sterile collection sets for every donation, and
Preparing the arm for donation with an aseptic scrub
All of these mitigation measures will help ensure the safety of all those at a blood drive or center.
There is no evidence and there are no reported cases of the coronavirus – or any respiratory virus - being transmitted by a blood transfusion.
Why Donate
This blood shortage could impact patients who need surgery, victims of car accidents and other emergencies, or patients suffering from cancer. One of the most important things you can do to ensure we don’t have another health care crisis on top of the coronavirus is to give blood.
The need for blood is constant, and will continue even as the outbreak grows. Volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need.
Right now, people are following public health guidance to keep their families safe – and that includes contributing to a readily available supply of blood for hospitals.
Blood donors and blood drive hosts play a critical role in maintaining a sufficient blood supply and are asked to keep hosting blood drives for patients who rely on lifesaving blood.
Watch this videos from the U.S. Surgeon General and read this letter from the CDC about our need for blood donations.
Details on Donating Blood
Please review the blood drive and blood need information below and contact denise@commonspace.la if you have any questions.
A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
Blood products are perishable and cannot be manufactured; they can only come from volunteer donors.
The American Red Cross must collect nearly 13,000 blood donations every day for patients in need.
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. One donation can potentially save up to 3 lives.
Cancer patients use nearly one quarter of the blood supply – more than patients fighting any other disease.
A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.