Red Cross Says Blood Donations Can Now Get To COVID-19 Patients Faster

The American Red Cross said a new change by the Food and Drug Administration cuts through some of the red tape that will help get blood donations to COVID-19 patients faster than before.

Donors going to need to wear a mask and get your temperature taken, but blood donors said it's an easy process.

“I think right now with COVID too we’re seeing a lot of shortages go on and so it’s something that’s needed more than ever,” Henson said. “I think people are a little bit fearful to come give it, but it’s easy and they are sanitizing.” 

Lauren Henson has been donating blood since the beginning of the pandemic and understands the critical need from donors.

“It can help our research efforts and show us more definitively the true value of the product. There is no question that the product helps some patients," said Matthew Coleman. 

Coleman is the regional medical doctor for the American Red Cross. He said the FDA just expanded the authorization for plasma from recovered patients. That means hospitals and clinics no longer have to enroll COVID-19 patients in a medical study to receive their plasma from Red Cross. 

“With this new EUA that the FDA has issued it releases the hospitals and some clinicians from needing to enroll their patient into a study. And hopefully allows many more patients to be treated," said Coleman.

Coleman said they need people who have been symptom free for at least 14 days after testing positive. 

“We always need more we don’t know where the disease is going, we don’t know how many people will become infected in the coming months, so we always need more donors available," said Coleman. 

For more information about where to donate, visit the website here.