One of the major healthcare system supply chain disruptions the COVID-19 pandemic has caused is that of blood. Claire DeRoin, Community Relations Coordinator for the LifeServe Blood Center, says the number of cancelled blood drives continues to rise.
On a yearly basis, Carroll Broadcasting Company partners with LifeServe in October for the Dracula Drive. This year we will be “Harvesting Your Donation” on Thursday, Oct. 29 in the ballroom at the Carrollton Inn. DeRoin says the Dracula Drive is not your typical community-based donation event.
In a typical year, DeRoin says donating blood can be a scary task for some. During a pandemic, fears tend to spread; but she says they are taking every precaution possible to ensure the safety of donors.
In addition to taking donations and distributing those to our local hospitals, LifeServe is joining forces with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), to conduct testing for COVID-19 research and treatments
DeRoin stresses this is NOT a diagnostic test. They are simply testing for antibodies. That means if you are positive, you have been exposed to the virus and your body has produced antibodies to it. They cannot tell you when you were exposed. Results take about five to seven days to get back and donors will be notified once those are received. If the antibodies are present, individuals can donate plasma every two weeks. Appointments for the upcoming Dracula Drive are available from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29 and reservations can be made online by following the link included below, on the mobile app or by calling 792-4321.
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Link to schedule an appointment to donate at the Dracula Drive: https://donor.lifeservebloodcenter.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/166693?fbclid=IwAR2PuTu9jLbct34WkDWBzj5mbfuK-MoD9y6w2Sdq0IrMZUrY0BnHUHTkiVk
