KEEPIN THE BEAT ALIVE: CARNIVAL 2021
The Musicians’ Clinic & The Blood Center, again partnering with New Orleans’ iconic music and cultural venues, are hosting blood drives over both carnival 2021 weekends to increase the city’s blood supply.
Thanks to our generous blood donors, hosts, community partners, musicians, and supporters we aim to raise 125 pints in the 2 drives. 1 pint of donated blood = 3 transfusions!!
All successful whole blood donations will be tested for COVID-19 antibodies, giving some the opportunity to donate their plasma to patients in need.
Appointments for this date are full!
Please sign up for the drive at The Howlin’ Wolf
By Appointment Only! Register Now!
Keeping the Beat Alive!
For the 9th year in a row, the NOMC partners with the Blood Center and the local cultural community to host blood drives over BOTH Carnival weekends to meet the critical need for blood donation.
With venues across the city shuttered by the pandemic, generous club owners open their doors to allow for safe, socially-distanced blood drives. We urge those interested in donating or volunteering to read the guidelines below and sign up!
1 pint of blood = 3 life-saving transfusions
A few updates to blood donations in the news:
- Potential donors with allergy or cold-like symptoms are asked to postpone donation attempts until all symptoms have passed. This request is in response to FDA recommendations, and in an abundance of caution during the COVID-19 outbreak.
- The FDA published four guidance documents related to COVID-19 donor eligibility, including changes to previous policies on MSM, vCJD, malaria, and variances. We’re implementing guidance from the FDA on the donor questionnaire. While we look forward to allowing new donors to give, several aspects need to be reviewed, edited, staff trained, etc to have this change go in to effect. We expect to have all guidance in place by June 1. This will take time to accomplish in a controlled environment in accordance with good manufacturing practices.
- If you’ve had COVID-19, please learn more about donating plasma at a Blood Center location.
What you can do:
- Ask yourself if you’re feeling healthy… Good! continue on.
- Schedule a blood donation. Blood already on the shelves saves lives, and maintaining a sufficient blood supply is essential to ensure patients in need receive optimal treatment. If you don’t have an account yet, just enter your first and last name (avoiding any initials, middle names, etc.)
- Begin the health screening via FastLane on the day of your donation BEFORE you enter a donor center or mobile blood drive
- Eat a good meal and don’t forget your ID
- Arrive as close to your appointment time as possible to reduce your wait and follow the social distancing measures suggested by the CDC
- After your donation, consider sharing with friends and family what you did on social media. It’s good, positive, and you may encourage someone else into donating
What we’re doing:
The Blood Center would like to emphasize that sanitation, cleanliness, and safety for our donors, patients, and staff has always been #1. Our donor centers follow appropriate infection control standards put forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which include:
- Sanitation of donor waiting rooms and donation chairs.
- Hospital-grade disinfectant wipes and cleaning formulas
- Frequently changed single-use medical gloves
- Various actions on the part of blood centers to implement social distancing and other safety protocols for donors and staff
- Hand sanitizer is provided in donation areas for donors and staff
- Space chairs in waiting room, donation room, canteen, mobiles as much as possible
- Increase cleaning and disinfecting -pens/clip boards/etc. between each donor
- All donors are given their own single use glove to wear while using their squeeze ball
According to the FDA, there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted COVID-19 Coronavirus and there is no known risk of transmission through the blood donation process since respiratory viruses are generally not known to be passed on through blood donation or transfusion. In addition, blood donation is not a mass gathering or social event and is by appointment only.