American Red Cross needs help to avert a blood shortage
Chance at shark dive trip, $10 e-gift card for donors in August
Claims COVID vaccines don’t pose risk to blood transfusion patients
By Martin Gagliano, Regional Communications Manager, American Red Cross, Northern California Coastal Region
After a summer of declining donations, the American Red Cross needs the public’s help to prevent a blood shortage. When a donor makes and keeps an appointment to give blood or platelets in the weeks ahead, they can help ensure trauma patients, those undergoing cancer treatment, and people with lifelong blood disorders can get the blood they count on.
Right now, the Red Cross especially needs type O negative, type O positive and type B negative blood donors, as well as platelet donors. Donors of all blood types can schedule an appointment to give by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
The Red Cross is teaming up with Warner Bros. for the theatrical release of Meg 2: The Trench to celebrate a summer of sharks and help stave off a summer blood and platelet shortage. All who come to give through Aug. 12 will be automatically entered for a chance to win a three-night New York getaway for two with a private shark dive adventure at Long Island Aquarium. Those who come to give throughout the month of August will also get a $10 e-gift card to a movie merchant of their choice. Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Movie.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Aug. 1-15:
Contra Costa County
Brentwood
8/2/2023: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Summerset at Brentwood III, 1581 Regent Drive
8/15/2023: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic, 500 Fairview Avenue
Danville
8/4/2023: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., The Grange Hall, 743 Diablo Road
Hercules
8/4/2023: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., City of Hercules, 102 Civic Drive
Pleasant Hill – Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane
8/1/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/2/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/3/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/4/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/5/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/6/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/7/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/8/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/9/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/10/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/11/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/12/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/13/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/14/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/15/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
San Ramon
8/11/2023: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., San Ramon Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church, 2260 Camino Ramon
Alameda County
Alameda
8/5/2023: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Alameda Community – Twin Towers United Methodist, 1411 Oak Street
Berkeley
8/10/2023: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Congregation Netivot Shalom, 1316 University Avenue
8/11/2023: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut Street
Newark at Fremont – Newark Blood Donation Center, 39227 Cedar Boulevard
8/1/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/2/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/3/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/4/2023: 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/5/2023: 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/6/2023: 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/7/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/8/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/9/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/10/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/11/2023: 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/12/2023: 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/13/2023: 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/14/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.,
8/15/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.
Oakland Blood Donation Center, 5450 College Avenue
8/1/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/2/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/3/2023: 10:45 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.,
8/4/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/5/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/6/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/7/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/8/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/9/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/10/2023: 10:45 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.,
8/11/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/12/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/13/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.,
8/14/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/15/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5880 W. Las Positas Boulevard, Suite 34
8/1/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/2/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/4/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/5/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/6/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/7/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/8/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/9/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/11/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/12/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/13/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/14/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/15/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
San Francisco – Blood Donation Center, 1663 Market Street, unless otherwise noted
8/1/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/2/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/3/2023: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., The Ritz-Carlton, 600 Stockton Street
8/4/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/5/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/6/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/7/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/8/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/9/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/11/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/12/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/13/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/14/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
8/15/2023: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.,
Santa Clara County
Gilroy
8/10/2023: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Interfaith – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Gilroy, 7999 Miller Avenue
Los Altos
8/11/2023: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Los Altos (Grant Road), 1300 Grant Road
Morgan Hill
8/8/2023: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Interfaith – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Morgan Hill, 1790 E. Dunne Avenue
Mountain View
8/2/2023: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Intersect at Mountain View Chinese Christian Church, 175 E. Dana Street
San Jose Blood Donation Center, 2731 North First Street (unless otherwise noted)
8/1/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.,
8/2/2023: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Emmanuel Baptist Church, 467 North White Road
8/2/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.,
8/3/2023: 10:45 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.,
8/4/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/4/2023: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Central Christian Church, 2555 Meridian Avenue
8/5/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/6/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/7/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.,
8/8/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.,
8/9/2023: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Administrative Office Building (AOB), Building H, 2325 Enborg Lane
8/9/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.,
8/10/2023: 10:45 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.,
8/11/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/12/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/13/2023: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.,
8/14/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.,
8/15/2023: 12:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.,
How to donate blood
To make an appointment, simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification 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 have to meet certain height and weight requirements
Amplify your impact − volunteer!
A stable blood and platelet supply is critical to national preparedness. Additionally, as we approach the beginning of what is expected to be another active hurricane season, the Red Cross urges everyone to get ready now and consider becoming a volunteer to help people affected by the growing number of climate-driven disasters.
Support impacted communities by assisting at Red Cross shelters, using your professional skills as a licensed health care provider or becoming a member of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team. To learn more, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.
Regarding the COVID-19 vaccines and blood donations:
- Amid ongoing conversation about COVID-19 vaccinations and blood donation, America’s Blood Centers, the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB), and the American Red Cross reiterate the safety of America’s blood supply and assure the public that vaccines do not pose a risk to patients receiving blood transfusions.
- Blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine approved or authorized for use in the U.S. are safe for transfusion. Similar to other vaccines such as those for measles, mumps or influenza, COVID-19 vaccines are designed to generate an immune response to help protect an individual from illness, but vaccine components themselves do not replicate through blood transfusions or alter a blood recipients’ DNA.
- In summary, there is no scientific evidence that demonstrates adverse outcomes from the transfusions of blood products collected from vaccinated donors and, therefore, no medical reason to distinguish or separate blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID19 vaccination.
- All blood collection organizations in the U.S. are required to follow Food and Drug Administration guidelines and regulations to collect, process and distribute blood products for patients in need. The FDA explicitly allows donors who have recently received approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccines to give blood as long as they are healthy on the day of donation and meet all other eligibility criteria. On multiple occasions, the Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that there is no evidence to support concerns related to the safety of blood donated by vaccinated individuals.
- All Americans, including both blood donors and blood recipients, should feel confident that receiving a blood transfusion is safe. COVID-19 vaccines do not replicate, and all blood donations offer the same life-saving therapeutic benefits, regardless of the vaccination status of the donor.
Also, here is a joint statement from the AABB, the America’s Blood Centers (ABC) and the American Red Cross: https://www.aabb.org/news-resources/news/article/2023/01/30/blood-community-issues-new-joint-statement-to-combat-misinformation-regarding-vaccines-and-the-blood-supply
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 nonprofit 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.
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