ROANOKE, Va. – American Red Cross needs you now more than ever before.
Due to coronavirus, blood drives are getting canceled making it harder for American Red Cross in its fight to save patients’ lives.
Trauma, cancer, sickle cell and many other patients benefit from blood donations.
In Virginia, 47 blood drives have been canceled due to universities and businesses having to close for social distancing. The loss of that many blood drives is an estimated loss of 1,000 units of blood but the need is still the same and has now become more urgent.
To donate, you can make an appointment with your closest American Red Cross Blood Donation Center.
There are new restrictions like whether you’ve traveled to China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy and South Korea within the last 28 days. To see if you’re eligible and to make an appointment, click here.
You can also make an appoinment on American Red Cross’ blood donor app, here.
10 News reporter Megan Woods spent the morning at American Red Cross’ Roanoke location to get details on the need for blood, how to create an emergency kit for times like this and future emergencies and a look at its free smoke detector services.