Blood drive at ECRMC testing for COVID antibodies

El CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Throughout the pandemic, blood has been a scarcity and a necessity.

ECRMC hosted a blood drive conducted by LifeStream, unlike most blood drives this one was different. Donations were by appointment only. Anyone who was around COVID-19 positive patients daily was not allowed to donate.

For example, two EMTs were turned away.

The blood is also being tested for COVID-19 antibodies.
Redcross and lifestream are among the blood banks doing this.

“We want to make people aware that donating is safe at this time and even though we’re going through this pandemic COVID will basically not affect you unless if you have the actual virus but right now we’re doing the anti-viral testing so if you think you have the virus two weeks after donating you’ll able to know your results and its at no cost to you,” said Erika Casillas, Associate Regional Development Coordinator.

People that previously had the virus but are now negative are encouraged to donate.

"For patients who actually are sick and are in need of that plasma if you've had the COVID with your antibodies, you can go and actually save people by donating that plasma as well"

Casillas says that they are down to half a days worth of blood supplies which means they can only supply two hospitals.

Prior to the pandemic, they were able to supply four hospitals with blood daily.

“You can save up to 3 adults when you donate, so you’re just donating one pint of blood, 45 minutes to save lives and if it goes to babies you’re saving 8 babies lives. With everything going on right now, you know surgeries were postponed but you know now, hospitals are back to normal and already running all these surgeries. Like I said we’re down to half a day worth of blood supplies that’s very critical, said Casillas.

For blood donor Victor Jaime today is an act of service that is more important than ever.

“This is one way of giving back you know to the community I retired a couple of years ago and I do a lot of volunteering so this is something I can do to give back especially during these pandemic times blood is in short supplies, Victor Jaime, blood donor.

The blood drive will continue until  Tuesday.