Besides wearing a mask and practicing social distancing, there’s another way Nevadans can make a big difference in the health and well-being of others during the pandemic: by giving blood.
Blood is in critically short supply nationwide and here in Las Vegas, as the pandemic triggered cancellations of thousands of blood drives. Those drives provide more than 80% of the national blood supply.
Meanwhile, blood is needed for a variety of people — accident victims, chemotherapy patients who need transfusions because their bodies can no longer make enough blood cells, women with complicated childbirths, those with sickle cell anemia and more. And while bans on elective surgeries in several states helped stretch out the blood supply during the early weeks of the pandemic, those surgeries have resumed during the recovery.
According to the American Red Cross, 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed daily across the country, as well as 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma.
The good news, though, is that the Red Cross has resumed scheduling drives as businesses reopen, and developed protocols that make it safe for healthy individuals to give blood. The local Red Cross office has scheduled a number of donation opportunities over the next couple of weeks. (A list of times, dates and locations is posted below.)
Donors are strongly encouraged to make an appointment by visiting redcrossblood.org, calling 1-800-733-2767, downloading the Blood Donor App (available at redcrossblood.org/blood-donor-app.html).
During appointments, donors must wear proper face coverage while visiting the site. Staff members will conduct temperature checks of themselves and donors before entering a site, will use sterile collection sets for each donor, will conduct enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment, and will provide hand sanitizer throughout the process. Beds and seating will be spaced to follow social distancing practices.
Donors who give blood this month will be entered into a national drawing for a “Wonder Woman” movie props package.
Where to go to give blood
The following is a list of local donation sites and hours of operation:
LAS VEGAS
Friday
• 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Centennial Hills Hospital, 6900 N. Durango Drive
• 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Mountains Edge, Exploration Peak Park, 9700 S. Buffalo Drive
Monday
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Friendly Ford Las Vegas, 660 N. Decatur Blvd.
• 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m., American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter, 444 E. Warm Springs Road, Suite 110
July 14
• 9:15 a.m.-2:15 p.m., Wells Fargo Bank, Spring Valley, 4016 S. Rainbow Blvd.
July 15
• 10 a.m.-3 p.m., American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter, 444 E. Warm Springs Road, Suite #110
• 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South
July 16
• 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Fashion Show Mall, 3200 South Las Vegas Blvd.
NORTH LAS VEGAS
July 18
• 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 3350 W. Alexander Road
HENDERSON
July 14
• 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Hampton Inn and Suites, 421 Astaire Drive
July 17
• 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Findlay Acura, 315 Auto Mall Drive
BOULDER CITY
July 16
• 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m., St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, 200 Wilson Circle
MESQUITE
July 20
• 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Eureka Casino Resort, 275 Mesa Blvd.