Palm Desert

Mobile Blood Drive Announced For Palm Desert Next Week

The health crisis has forced the cancellation of more than 80 mobile blood drives throughout Southern California for LifeStream Blood Bank, which is organizing the drive.

The American Red Cross is continuing to hold blood drives while following government guidance amid the coronavirus pandemic.
NBC 7

With blood donations down due to the coronavirus pandemic, a one-day blood drive is scheduled for next week in Palm Desert, it was announced Tuesday.

The drive will be held May 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 43775 Deep Canyon Road.

The health crisis has forced the cancellation of more than 80 mobile blood drives throughout Southern California for LifeStream Blood Bank, which is organizing the drive, but spokesman Don Escalante stopped short of saying the San Bernardino-based donation service was experiencing a blood shortage.

"We are able to fulfill all hospital orders for blood,'' he said, "but, yes, overall collection is short of what had been collected at this time last year.''

The canceled drives scheduled for mid-March through the end of May equate to about 5,000 pints of lost blood, he said.

Potential donors must be at least 15 years old, weigh at least 115 pounds and be free from infections or illnesses. Donors must also not be at risk of having AIDS or hepatitis.

Donors under 17 years old must bring written consent from a parent.

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said on Thursday that we should ‘all consider’ donating blood to help fight the current nationwide shortage.

Blood collected through donations to LifeStream flows to more than 80 hospitals in Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego counties.

For appointments, call 800-879-4484, or visit www.LStream.org.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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