Starting next week, community blood drives that were suspended in the D.C. area because of the COVID-19 pandemic will resume, and donors are needed.
“We are so excited to be back, rolling out in our community starting June 15,” said Heather Wade, of Inova Blood Donor Services, which supplies blood to hospitals regionwide.
Blood supplies are critically low, and Wade said demand is high.
“During COVID-19, many patients did not seek treatment that they needed, so hospitals across our area have seen an influx with patients with long-term stays,” Wade said.
Also with a loosening of pandemic-related restrictions, elective surgeries have resumed, with about 800 to 900 procedures set to occur every week.
“Not only that, we’re in the summertime, and summer is really trauma month,” Wade said. “There are bad things that happen, and it’s because of blood donors that many of these folks who are in accidents get a second chance at life.”
Inova Blood Donor Services is taking all precautions possible related to COVID-19.
The following locations will hold blood donation:
- June 16, Tuesday — Burke Community Church, Burke, Virginia, noon to 6 p.m.
- June 17, Wednesday — Fair Lakes League, Fairfax, Virginia, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- June 18, Thursday — Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Dunn Loring, Virginia, noon to 6 p.m.
- June 18, Thursday — Franconia Fire Station 5, Alexandria, Virginia, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- June 19, Friday — Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- June 22, Monday — Greater Springfield Volunteer Fire Department, Springfield, Virginia, noon to 6 p.m.
- June 24, Wednesday — McLean Volunteer Fire Department, McLean, Virginia, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- June 25, Thursday — Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, Vienna, Virginia, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- July 4, Saturday — Great Falls Volunteer Fire Department, Great Falls, Virginia, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Several of the upcoming community blood drives are being held in the parking lots of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and Volunteer Fire Department stations.
While the fire department said there will be plenty of room to spread out for appropriate social distancing, access to the fire houses will be restricted to protect firefighters and paramedics.
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