Williamson County Chamber: Flu Season May Further Impact Red Cross Blood Supply 

Franklin TN

09 November, 2021

5:10 PM

Description

Press release from Williamson County Chamber: 2021-11-08 Flu season may further impact Red Cross blood supply  Emergency blood shortage continues    NASHVILLE, Tenn., (Nov. 8, 2021) – As the holidays approach and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns about a potential spike in flu cases this year, it's important that those who are eligible, healthy and feeling well make an appointment to donate blood platelets. The American Red Cross continues to address an ongoing emergency blood shortage, and donors are urged to give now to combat the lowest blood supply levels at this time of year in more than a decade.    According to the CDC, flu cases reached an all-time low last year due to masking, physical distancing and shutdowns across the country, and many Americans may have reduced immunity this year. When seasonal illness increases, the number of healthy blood donors tends to decrease. Paired with winter weather, busy holiday schedules and ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the already-struggling blood supply could be further impacted throughout winter.    There is no blood donation waiting period for those who have received a flu shot or a Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine or booster, so long as they are symptom-free. Donors are urged to schedule an appointment now by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).      To encourage donors to help meet the needs of hospital patients this month, all who come to donate Nov. 1-23 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email, thanks to Amazon.* Those who come to give around the Thanksgiving holiday, Nov. 24-28, will receive a pair of Red Cross socks, while supplies last.    Blood drive safety   Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive.     Upcoming blood donation opportunities Nov. 16-30  KENTUCKY  Christian    Fort Campbell  11/18/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Blanchfield Army Hospital, 650 Joel Drive  11/23/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Fort Campbell Commissary, 2606 Indiana Avenue  _______________  Hickman    Clinton  11/22/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 210 South Washington Street  _______________  Logan    Russellville  11/29/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 296 West 6th Street  _______________  Marshall    Benton  11/30/2021: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., CFSB Benton Banking Center, 221 West 5th Street  _______________  Trigg    Cadiz  11/22/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Trigg County Hospital, 254 Main Street  11/30/2021: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., St Stephen Catholic Church, 1698 Canton Rd.  _______________  Warren    Bowling Green  11/17/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Downey Student Center, 1906 College Heights Blvd., P.O. Box 51233  11/19/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Holiday Inn University Plaza & Sloan Convention Center, 1021 Wilkinson Trace  11/24/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Holiday Inn University Plaza & Sloan Convention Center, 1021 Wilkinson Trace  11/26/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Holiday Inn University Plaza & Sloan Convention Center, 1021 Wilkinson Trace  11/26/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Harley Davidson, 251 Cumberland Trace Road    Oakland  11/30/2021: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Lions Club Smith Grove, 410 Church St  TENNESSEE  Cannon    Woodbury  11/18/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Lions Club Building, 634 Lehman Street  _______________  Coffee    Manchester  11/29/2021: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Manchester Recreation Complex, 557 N. Woodland Street  _______________  Davidson    Goodlettsville  11/29/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., First Baptist Church, 613 South Main Street    Madison  11/17/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia, 315 Hospital Drive  11/24/2021: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, 741 East Campbell Road    Nashville  11/16/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/16/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue  11/17/2021: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/18/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/19/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/20/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/21/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/22/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/23/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saint Thomas West Hospital, 4220 Harding Road  11/23/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue  11/23/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/24/2021: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., The Donelson Fellowship, 3210 McGavock Pk  11/24/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Legion Post 88, 2717 McCampbell  11/24/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Inn at Opryland, 2401 Music Valley Drive  11/24/2021: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/25/2021: 8:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/26/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/27/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/28/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/29/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/30/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave  11/30/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue  _______________  Giles    Pulaski  11/22/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., The Rec Center, 333 East College Street  _______________  Humphreys    Waverly  11/19/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Waverly United Methodist Church, 115 West Main Street  _______________  Lewis    Hohenwald  11/26/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Hohenwald Church of Christ, 110 Park Avenue South  _______________  Macon    Lafayette  11/29/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Lafayette Church of Christ, 212 Church Street  _______________  Maury    Columbia  11/18/2021: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., American Legion Post 19, 812 Nashville Highway, Hwy 31 North    Spring Hill  11/22/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., UAW- Local 1853, 125 Stephen P Yokich Pkwy  11/22/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Southern Springs HOA, 2000 Southern Springs Pkwy  _______________  Montgomery    Clarksville  11/22/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., American Red Cross, 1760 Madison Street  11/23/2021: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Veteran's Plaza – William O. Beach Civic Hall, 350 Pagaent Lane  11/24/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., American Red Cross, 1760 Madison Street  11/26/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Governor's Square Mall, 2801 Wilma Rudolph Blvd  11/29/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., American Red Cross, 1760 Madison Street  _______________  Putnam    Cookeville  11/29/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Putnam County Library, 50 E. Broad St.  _______________  Rutherford    Murfreesboro  11/16/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/18/2021: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/18/2021: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., World Outreach Church, 1921 New Salem Highway  11/19/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/20/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/21/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/22/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/23/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/25/2021: 8:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/26/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/27/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/28/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/29/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.  11/30/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd.    Smyrna  11/18/2021: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Cornerstone United Methodist Church, 349 Chaney Road  11/24/2021: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Tennessee Army National Guard, Building 250, 8th Avenue South  11/29/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 300 Sam Hagar Street – Door C  _______________  Smith    Gordonsville  11/22/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., New Middleton Baptist Church, Hwy 141  _______________  Williamson    Brentwood  11/16/2021: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd.  11/16/2021: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd.  11/17/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd.  11/23/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Brentwood Library, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd.  11/24/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd.  11/30/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd.    Franklin  11/16/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Vanderbilt Medical Group, 2105 Edward Curd Lane  11/17/2021: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Keller Williams Franklin, 9175 Carothers Blvd.  11/17/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., CoolSprings Galeria, 1800 Galleria Blvd.  11/18/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Oak Valley Baptist Church, 1161 Lewisburg Pike  11/24/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., NHC Place at Cool Springs, 211 Cool Springs Blvd.  11/26/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Lotz House, 1111 Columbia Ave  11/30/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Lifetime Fitness, 5020 Carothers Parkway  _______________  Wilson    Lebanon  11/29/2021: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Frances Cabrini Catholic, 300 South Tarver Avenue    Mount Juliet  11/17/2021: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Mt Juliet Community Center, 1075 Charlie Daniels Parkway  11/26/2021: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Kroger 590, 4120 N Mt. Juliet Road     Save time during donation   Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.  To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.    Health insights for donors   At a time when health information has never been more important, the Red Cross is screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. This additional screening will provide Black donors with an additional health insight and help the Red Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly to help patients with sickle cell disease who require trait-negative blood. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and blood donations from individuals of the same race, ethnicity and blood type have a unique ability to help patients fighting sickle cell disease.        Donors can expect to receive sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.      About the American Red Cross  The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.    This press release was produced by Williamson County Chamber. The views expressed here are the author's own.