Have you heard the rumor that they are testing blood for corona? Saw something about it being a "free test" on reddit.

Not that i believe it, and I'll donate as per my usual, but I am curious.

Yes MD Anderson as well. I can't believe I forgot to add them to the list. Thank you!

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Our prescreening eliminates anyone not feeling well and healthy, and our travel screening eliminates most of the other concerns.

It is also not believed to be transmissible via blood transfusion and does not pose any risk to patients.

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Are there studies to indicate that is the case with this virus? Or extrapolating information from other corona viruses?

(Not trying to be an a-hole here. Just had an older sister who was a dialysis patient before and during the HIV situation.)

No offense taken.

I am by no means a medical doctor or expert on that subject, however our governing MD's have made the assurances to the rest of us that it is safe based on the understanding of coronaviruses.

From our news blog posted by our CEO Dr. Sayers:

"Coronaviruses, which include agents such as SARS, MERS and the common cold, have never been spread by blood transfusion and there are no reported cases of transfusion-transmitted COVID-19, which is also a coronavirus."

SoulSlaveAG2005 said:

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No offense taken.

I am by no means a medical doctor or expert on that subject, however our governing MD's have made the assurances to the rest of us that it is safe based on the understanding of coronaviruses.

From our news blog posted by our CEO Dr. Sayers:

"Coronaviruses, which include agents such as SARS, MERS and the common cold, have never been spread by blood transfusion and there are no reported cases of transfusion-transmitted COVID-19, which is also a coronavirus."

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Okay. Just asked because HIV got transmitted that way. It was hell for my late sister when the transmission data started coming out because of all of her transfusions.

Thank you.

AIDS got into the blood supply, has to be some controls now to avoid that eff up again.

Innovative approach by South Texas Blood and Tissue Center released today to help their community maintain through all of this. If you are in the S.A. area, healthy and able, go donate at this drive. Everyone else, go donate at your local center.

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For immediate release
March 16, 2020

Contact: Roger Ruiz
C: 210-296-9026
email="roger.ruiz@biobridgeglobal.org"]

Alamodome to host three-day blood drive to maintain local blood supply, avoid public health emergency
Venue allows for proper social distancing; all donors will be required to make appointments to manage flow and avoid crowding

SAN ANTONIO, Texas The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center has teamed up with the City of San Antonio to hold a special community blood drive at the Alamodome this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

The Alamodome was selected because it allows for the recommended social distancing between donor beds and in waiting areas.

The drive and starting this week, donations at all South Texas Blood & Tissue Center donor rooms are by appointment only to manage flow and avoid crowding. Donors can make an appointment at SouthTexasBood.org/give-now or by calling 210-731-5590.

All donors will receive either a Valero or a Target gift card, plus another of their choice from the new STBTC Donor Store. Selections include GrubHub, Hulu and Amazon.com.

On Saturday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg designated blood donation as an "essential city function."

With virtually all blood drives canceled because of fears of the new coronavirus, it is imperative that individual donors make an appointment and give at the Alamodome or at one of the STBTC donor rooms. Donor room locations and hours are listed at SouthTexasBloog.org/give-now/locations-hours.

In a time of great uncertainty, one thing is certain the need for blood donations never slows down. An additional 600 donations per day are needed, as transfusions still are necessary for surgery patients, accident victims, new moms and their babies, and cancer patients. The need is especially acute for new donors and those with type-O blood.

As the supply of blood shrinks, hospitals across South Texas already have begun to postpone elective surgeries.

The mayor noted that blood donation is a safe action people can take at a time when many feel powerless.

Free parking for the drive will be available in Lot A, which is just south of the Alamodome. Donors can enter via the University Heath System entrance at the southwest corner of the dome, and there will be a greeter there to direct them.

In addition to social distancing, STBTC, a subsidiary of San Antonio nonprofit BioBridge Global, is taking numerous precautions to keep donors safe, including taking the temperature of potential donors and staff members as they enter donor rooms and the Alamodome drive. All donors undergo a mini physical, which includes a temperature, pulse and blood pressure check, and they are asked about recent travel to areas of community incidences of COVID-19.

Coronavirus concerns have led to declines in blood donations that have resulted in a national emergency. Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and the U.S. Military Defense Agency made an urgent appeal for the public to donate blood.

Dr. Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, 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.

###

About the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center: The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC) is a nonprofit community blood center that provides blood, plasma, platelets and other blood components to 100 hospitals in 48 South Texas counties. It is the largest blood supplier in our region. STBTC has a 45-year history serving the South Texas community. It is part of the BioBridge Global family of nonprofit organizations, which offers services in regenerative medicine and research including blood banking and resource management; cellular therapy; umbilical cord blood collection and storage; donated human tissue recovery and distribution for transplant; and testing of blood and plasma products to help patients in the United States and worldwide. STBTC has seven donor rooms in South Texas and conducts hundreds of mobile blood drives each year. STBTC is online at SouthTexasBlood.org

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Bump - the shortage of donor blood is real.

Well, lock down everything and this is one of the results.

Can't have it both ways.

Probably would not matter from a safety/social distancing standpoint, but from a perception and psychological standpoint, would it make sense to park a mobile unit in a subdivision? I know i would be even more willing to donate to a mobile unit in my comfort zone.

We are actually exploring a "concierge" type blood drive. Where we call several donors in an area and drive tot heir neighborhood.

Hurdles are :
1)we have to have restroom access. Do people want us going into their homes?
2) we must have a level surface in order for our scales to work and QC.
3) liability issues of parking a fulls size coach on a neighbor hood block. Traffic should be limited but does it expose us to risk if someone hits us?
4) every time we move the coach, we have to re QC our scales. This takes time and creates a cost efficienciy issue.


If the brains at TEXAGS can help me figure it out, I'll implement it next week. I have staff/vehicles and resources ready to roll!

SoulSlaveAG2005 said:

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We are actually exploring a "concierge" type blood drive. Where we call several donors in an area and drive tot heir neighborhood.

Hurdles are :
1)we have to have restroom access. Do people want us going into their homes?
2) we must have a level surface in order for our scales to work and QC.
3) liability issues of parking a fulls size coach on a neighbor hood block. Traffic should be limited but does it expose us to risk if someone hits us?
4) every time we move the coach, we have to re QC our scales. This takes time and creates a cost efficienciy issue.


If the brains at TEXAGS can help me figure it out, I'll implement it next week. I have staff/vehicles and resources ready to roll!

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I can use my neighborhood Sienna Plantation as an example:

We have a tennis/swim center with lots of parking and flat surfaces.
1) the tennis center has restrooms that would be very close
2)see above, plenty of level surfaces
3) planty of places to park the mobile unit
4) lots of foot traffic and very short drive for thousands of people...might not have to move

Pm sent

An update from Americas Blood Centers.

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Blood Community & Federal Officials Launch Coordinated COVID-19 Response Amid Growing Pandemic
Federal Officials Urge Blood Donation. As countries across the globe work to contain COVID-19, federal officials in the U.S. and the blood community continue to communicate a unified message donating blood is safe and blood is and will continue to be needed as social distancing measures disrupt blood center collections. "We know many of you are home practicing the President's guidelines for social distancing," said U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral (VADM) Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, during a press briefing at the White House on March 19th given by members of the President Trump's Coronavirus Task Force. "But one thing we should all consider, especially our millennials and Gen Z, is donating blood So-cial distancing does not have to mean social disengagement. So, give blood today." He continued to emphasize the importance of blood donation by sharing a video message encouraging blood donation that linked to a news release disseminated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that further promoted blood donation.
America's Blood Centers will continue to advocate directly to senior government officials and their staffs at various agencies throughout the Administration in align-ment with blood community partners. The unified messaging has been shared by multiple agencies including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who issued a statement on March 19th from Center for Biologics Evaluation and Re-search (CBER) Director Peter Marks, MD, PhD who stressed that "[a]t this time the number of blood donations has been dramatically reduced due to the implementa-tion of social distancing and the cancellation of blood drives Blood donation centers can facilitate the safe donation of blood because they are skilled in infection control practices and already have procedures in place to prevent the spread of in-fections. Blood donation centers always take steps to prevent staff and donors who are not feeling well or who have a fever from reaching the donor area, and they are now taking additional social distancing precautions wherever possible, consistent with the President's Coronavirus Guidelines for America. Donating blood is safe and takes only a little of your time."
COVID-19 Impact on Blood Community. As of March 19th, blood centers nation-wide had seen more than 12,000 blood drives canceled, resulting in some 355,000 fewer blood donations due to coronavirus concerns. The 12,000 figure represents canceled drives in March, April, May, June, and July and the 355,000 figure in-cludes projections based on the number of canceled drives and appointments. Currently, inventories are down an estimated 30-40 percent depending on blood type from this same time last year.

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Utilizing resources to help find a cure..

https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/investigational-new-drug-ind-or-device-exemption-ide-process-cber/investigational-covid-19-convalescent-plasma-emergency-inds


To be clear, blood centers aren't going to co-mingle healthy non COVID donors with COVID recovered donors. Specialized centers and strict rules will guide the recovered donors to be able to give plasma for antibody research.



Also -- Good news is that people are coming out and donating. The national outlook is better for the very near term. ( this is an overall, specific areas may be better/worse).

Donors are still needed to come out and come out for the near future. As different locations have different responses and impact, it will be necessary for communities to resource share as much as possible.

I'd give blood gladly but Carter Blood Bank ask me a question about my military service last year and because I served in Europe during the 80's, now I can't give. Despite giving blood for twenty years prior to that everywhere else. All because of Mad Cow disease even though there was never a case of a US Soldier getting it nor of anyone getting via a blood transfusion. Bureaucrats!

Agnzona said:

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I'd give blood gladly but Carter Blood Bank ask me a question about my military service last year and because I served in Europe during the 80's, now I can't give. Despite giving blood for twenty years prior to that everywhere else. All because of Mad Cow disease even though there was never a case of a US Soldier getting it nor of anyone getting via a blood transfusion. Bureaucrats!

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Sorry about that. Unfortunately that is an FDA regulation that we have to abide by, and every blood center operating for transfusion services in the US has to ask. Its not just us.

The good news is, that the regulation is under review and the FDA is looking at removing that deferral in the near future. Once the deferral is eliminated, there will be a review process we have to go through to re-admit donors that were previously deferred.

Keep an eye out, or shoot me a PM and I will send you specific instructions.

I was never asked it before and am very aware if it now. There was a general a few years back that was trying to get the FDA to drop it during the IRAQ War so vets could give. Its a regulation on the books since the very first days of the MadCow and they won't remove it. But I gave blood 4-5 times a year in Arizona for 20 years so its obviously all BS.

I gave blood for years with no problems. Then the questionnaire changed.

My Dad was in the Army and we lived in West Germany from 1977-80.

Now I can't donate

Any where you'd recommend going in Houston this week? I've never given blood before, but figure now's a good time to start.

Gulf coast regional blood center

http://www.giveblood.org

Or
MD Anderson blood center

Be sure to eat a good meal, and hydrate.

Thank you

jagvocate said:

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I gave blood for years with no problems. Then the questionnaire changed.

My Dad was in the Army and we lived in West Germany from 1977-80.

Now I can't donate

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The questionnaire changed in early 2000's. It is frustrating., but the rules are reviewable based on new information and on our appeals to the governing body. If you were in Germany for less than 6 months in 1980, technically you may be eligible now. They changed that rule about 3 years ago.

Now, there are studies out of Europe that show no transmissibility of CJD variant from blood transfusion, and the FDA has stated they are discussing dropping the deferral altogether now, so you may be able to be re admitted.

The rules and regulations can seem over bearing but they have helped ensure that we as a nation have the safest blood possible for the patients that need it. It is a trade off to lose a few good donors to help keep the overall supply safe. Thankfully there is a process and ability to change with new science and information.

My guess is that by the end of the next year the deferral is reduced or eliminated.

SoulSlaveAG2005 said:

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jagvocate said:

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I gave blood for years with no problems. Then the questionnaire changed.

My Dad was in the Army and we lived in West Germany from 1977-80.

Now I can't donate

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The questionnaire changed in early 2000's. It is frustrating., but the rules are reviewable based on new information and on our appeals to the governing body. If you were in Germany for less than 6 months in 1980, technically you may be eligible now. They changed that rule about 3 years ago.

Now, there are studies out of Europe that show no transmissibility of CJD variant from blood transfusion, and the FDA has stated they are discussing dropping the deferral altogether now, so you may be able to be re admitted.

The rules and regulations can seem over bearing but they have helped ensure that we as a nation have the safest blood possible for the patients that need it. It is a trade off to lose a few good donors to help keep the overall supply safe. Thankfully there is a process and ability to change with new science and information.

My guess is that by the end of the next year the deferral is reduced or eliminated.

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Great information, thank you. I'll never take "giving" for granted again :-)

For men especially, getting rid of excess iron through blood donation theoretically has a lot of health benefits.

Sarduakar said:

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If i could get a roll of TP and some nutter butters i would donate every week.

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We changed out our centers rolls from single size to the commercial sizes last week. Thursday/Friday and Saturday we gave a roll of single out to every donor until we had given out all the extra rolls.

And we got lots of nutter butters!

Aggie Pharmer said:

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I'm a Board Member in our HOA here in Cedar Park. I got in touch with We Are Blood and we have scheduled a blood drive for next Saturday.

It's still a little while away, but reading this thread was very helpful in making the decision to schedule the blood drive.

Thanks for letting everyone know how critical the situation is. Hopefully others who are on this board are influenced the same way I was.

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I regret I only have 1 blue parachute to give you.

Thank you so much!

SoulSlaveAG2005 said:

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jagvocate said:

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I gave blood for years with no problems. Then the questionnaire changed.

My Dad was in the Army and we lived in West Germany from 1977-80.

Now I can't donate

---

The questionnaire changed in early 2000's. It is frustrating., but the rules are reviewable based on new information and on our appeals to the governing body. If you were in Germany for less than 6 months in 1980, technically you may be eligible now. They changed that rule about 3 years ago.

Now, there are studies out of Europe that show no transmissibility of CJD variant from blood transfusion, and the FDA has stated they are discussing dropping the deferral altogether now, so you may be able to be re admitted.

The rules and regulations can seem over bearing but they have helped ensure that we as a nation have the safest blood possible for the patients that need it. It is a trade off to lose a few good donors to help keep the overall supply safe. Thankfully there is a process and ability to change with new science and information.

My guess is that by the end of the next year the deferral is reduced or eliminated.

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And people can't understand why the CDC and most all of government can't protect us. This was based on no science but was made a rule and is almost impossible to change. 30 years later they are just thinking about changing It. It didn't kept the blood supply safe its a great example of government ineptness at all levels. And this Retired General had all kinds of scientist and Drs working with him on this for 10 years ago trying to get this rule dropped and he gave up. Government is the problem not the solution. Blindly following our overlords is crazy!


BTW recall how quick they were to allow gays to give blood?

Signed up next Tuesday at White Oak Music Hall. Dumb question... I don't know my blood type. Will they tell me?

Thank you!

Yes. Your blood will be typed. Testing usually takes 24-48 hours.

They should hand you a cardboard or document with post donation instructions on it. Usually you can log onto a web page or call a 1-800 number and they will have the type and other information available for you.