FDA Urges People to Turn Out in Force to Give Blood as Coronavirus Fears Intensify

MEDIC Regional Blood Center and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an “urgent call-to-action” for healthy people to give blood amid coronavirus fears.

According to MEDIC Regional Blood Center, six blood drives scheduled for this month have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The blood center supplies blood and blood-related products to 25 hospitals in 22 counties, including LeConte Medical Center in Sevier County. It has an immediate, ongoing need to supply products to regional hospitals that is at risk of interruption by a lack of donations. The blood on the shelves now is what would be used in a trauma event and it takes three days for donated blood to be processed and ready for distribution.

“We need people to start turning out in force to give blood.” That urgent call-to-action coming from Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, as fear about the coronavirus is keeping people from wanting to donate blood.

Healthy people may donate at any MEDIC Regional Blood Center Donor Center in Downtown Knoxville, Farragut, Athens or Crossville, or through Mobile Blood Drives listed on www.medicblood.org

MEDIC wants donors to know:

• MEDIC confirms that all donors are screened to ensure they are feeling healthy and well.
• Each donor goes through a mini physical that includes a temperature check as well as a visual check on the donor’s well-being. We look for coughing, nose draining or if the donor is having a hard time breathing.
• Individuals should not donate if they are feeling ill.
• Donors are asked a series of questions that include whether they have traveled outside the country.
• MEDIC follows appropriate infection control standards of donor rooms and mobile buses and uses single-use equipment for collection procedures.
• Blood collected at MEDIC is always tested for various infectious diseases.
• Blood donation is not a mass gathering or social event.
• MEDIC is following Knox County Health Department guidelines and updates.
• According to the FDA, there is no known risk of transmission of COVID-19 through the blood donation process or from blood transfusions.
• According to the FDA, there is no intrinsic risk of the safety of the blood supply, but there is risk to the availability of blood for patients in need because of an increase in cancelled donation appointments and blood drives.
• MEDIC serves 25 hospitals in 22 counties.
• MEDIC is not a healthcare provider and thus does not provide a coronavirus test.
• It is imperative that healthy and well individuals continue to donate in the coming weeks.

The FDA says that over the past week, blood centers throughout the country are experienced a significant drop in donations that is limiting the ability for the nation’s blood supply to be adequately replenished.

“We need people to prevent the blood supply from getting depleted,” said Dr. Marks. “We need it not to get to the point that surgeries are having to get canceled. That’s something we absolutely do not want to have happen. To ensure an adequate blood supply we need people to come out and donate blood.”

The coronavirus does not pose any known risk to blood donors during the donation process or from attending blood drives.

“It is safe to donate blood,” said Admiral Brett P. Giroir, M.D. Assistant Secretary for Health. “Part of preparedness includes a robust blood supply. Healthy individuals should schedule an appointment to donate today to ensure that blood is available for those patients who need it,” said Giroir.

Blood centers are regulated by the FDA and must follow specific guidelines to ensure safe blood is available for patients at all times.

The comments from the federal agencies come as the entire blood banking community is uniting in urging people to donate blood and for organizations to keep hosting blood drives.

“Blood donors are needed now more than ever. We cannot wait for the situation to intensify further before taking action. The blood supply cannot be taken for granted and the coronavirus only heightens the need for a ready blood supply,” said Kate Fry, chief executive officer of America’s Blood Centers, the organization that represents close to 50 blood centers throughout the U.S. and Canada who collect close to 60% of the nation’s blood supply.

“Blood drives across the country are being canceled. This is going to end up in an unprecedented situation if we’re not careful,” said Chris Hrouda, president of Biomedical Services for the American Red Cross. “We are doing everything in our power to ensure that we don’t get to a critical level of the blood supply. If we continue to see blood drives cancel, we are going to reach a level of inventory of which we haven’t seen in the past.”

“Blood is an essential part of health care and the need for blood is constant,” said Debra BenAvram, CEO of AABB, the association that accredits the majority of blood banks in the United States. “In the United States, a patient is treated with a blood transfusion every two seconds. This is only possible through the generosity of our country’s volunteer blood donors. They are the heroes who make lifesaving treatment a reality.”

The Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP), the official blood collector of the U.S. Military, is also echoing the call of its civilian counterparts. “As the U.S. Military’s official blood program, we always have a mission to stand ready. We are asking if you are able and eligible, consider donating. Take the time to help us stand mission- ready,” said Colonel Audra L. Taylor, ASBP Division Chief, Combat Support, Defense Health Agency.

The FDA has reiterated that there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted coronavirus and the virus poses no known risk to patients receiving blood transfusions.