FCCLA to Host Red Cross Blood Drive March 16th
The FCCLA Red Cross Blood Drive returns on Tuesday, March 16, at the high school from 9 am to 3 pm. Donations are done by appointment only. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with a completed parental permission form), meet height and weight requirements (at least 110 pounds based on height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. After testing positive for COVID-19, donors must wait 14 days before giving blood. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive identification (driver’s license). To save donation time, please consider completing Rapid Pass before arriving. It can be found at https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/manage-my-donations/rapidpass.html or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App on your phone.
Appointments can be made by phoning sponsor Ronita Jacobsen at 402-841-4566 or the high school at (402) 582-4991. Appointments can also be made online at www.redcrossblood.org or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App on your phone. FCCLA Members will begin calling for donations the week of March 8th. Walk-ins are not allowed.
There is no deferral time if you have received an inactivated or RNA based COVID-19 vaccine such as Pfizer or Moderna. You will need to provide the manufacturer name when you come in to donate. Upon vaccination you should have received a card or printout indicating what COVID-19 vaccine was received. Eligible donors who are vaccinated with a replication defective virus COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by AstraZeneca or Janssen/J&J must wait two weeks before giving blood. Eligible donors who do not know what type of COVID-19 vaccine they have received must wait four weeks before giving. Regardless of the type of vaccine received, all donors must be symptom free and feeling well at the time of donation.
The Red Cross is testing all blood product donations for COVID-19 antibodies. Donors can get their results of the antibody test by logging in to their Blood Donor account on the Blood Donor App or online within one to two weeks after their donation.
The Red Cross has implemented additional precautions that you will notice at the drive: • temperatures checks of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy
• hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process
• social distancing between donors including entry, donation and refreshment areas
• face masks or coverings required to be worn by both staff and donors
• routinely disinfecting surfaces, equipment and donor-touched areas
• food/drinks in the refreshment area must be single-serve, individually wrapped packages.
• no guests of donors will be allowed
Those who have recovered from COVID-19 and want to donate Convalescent Plasma can visit www.RedCrossblood.org/plasma4covid for more information and the form to complete in order to set up an appointment.