The Pine River community hosted a blood drive with Vitalant on March 23 at Lifehouse Coffee that helped collect a total of 23 units of blood products for patients in need.
A total of 27 individuals volunteered to donate blood and 20 individuals were able to donate. A total of three donors also came forward to donate Power Red Cells (2RBC), which collects two units of red blood cells while returning platelets, plasma and a saline solution back to the donor.
There were six people who volunteered for the first time.
Donald Norman coordinated the drive sponsored by the Pine River Lions. Art Schmidt, Muriel Erickson and Cindy Miller also helped the day of the drive.
Vitalant is currently testing all successful blood, platelet and plasma donations for the foreseeable future for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. If a donation is antibody positive, Vitalant can produce convalescent plasma from it to help COVID patients. Additionally the remaining blood components will help other patients with serious medical conditions.
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Antibodies are proteins within plasma that help fight off infections. Because antibodies are part of the body's immune response and not the virus itself, antibody testing cannot be used to diagnose current coronavirus infection.
Individuals must be symptom free for at least 28 days to be eligible to give blood. Learn more about finding ways to help patients during COVID by visiting vitalant.org/COVIDRescueTeam.
The next blood drive in Pine River is planned Wednesday, June 16.
