Blood Drive

School in session usually boosts donations but offers no relief amid COVID-19

The City of Rehoboth Beach has scheduled a blood drive on September 22 to keep the local blood supply stable during these challenging times.

The return to school in autumn usually helps stabilize the blood supply as high school, and college drives account for 25 percent of the blood collected daily. That has typically resulted in 8,000 blood donations during each school year by young donors.

With those blood drives on hiatus due to the pandemic’s effects, community blood drives such as Rehoboth Beach have become critical. We ask residents to book an appointment to donate at this blood drive to be held conveniently from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, in the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Avenue, Main Hall, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.

BBD Account Manager Ralph Groves and City of Rehoboth Beach blood drive coordinator Krys Johnson hope to register 80 whole blood and double red blood cell donors for this event.

Individuals are eligible to donate if they are at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and are generally feeling healthy and well with no fever. (Temperatures will be checked at the door.) Remember to eat and hydrate before donating.

The need for blood is constant. Blood Bank of Delmarva provides blood and blood products to the 19 hospitals in Delmarva and must see at least 350 donors each day to meet patients’ needs.

Individuals can book their appointment online or call 1-888-8-BLOOD-8. Use code CORB when booking online.

Donated red blood cells have a 42-day shelf life and are needed to treat patients daily. Blood Bank of Delmarva needs donors with type O blood, which is below the optimum, seven-day inventory level.