Right now, there are two coronavirus cases in Manatee County. The most recent one confirmed was in an 81-year-old woman who recently traveled outside the United States.
The Florida Department of Health says she is being isolated until cleared by health officials.
Hearing about cases like this might make you reconsider routine activities like donating blood.
"Even though the coronavirus is making headlines there are no changes as far as the blood center is concerned," Susan Forbes said.
Forbes is with OneBlood. She says the entire blood banking industry is concerned with how this particular coronavirus could impact the nation's blood supply.
"We continue to need donors to come in on a regular basis,” Forbes said. “Blood is needed every day regardless of what's going on in the country and the coronavirus only heightens the need."
Some events across Florida that have been canceled because of the coronavirus had a Big Red Bus attached to them. And when an event gets canceled, so does the donor drive.
"When those situations happen, we have to look for other places to be able to go to offset what we won't be collecting at that drive,” Forbes said.
Some blood centers are already seeing the impact. Suncoast Blood Center says they have less than a two-day supply. You usually want at least a three-to-five-day blood supply to feel comfortable.
"Blood is needed every day in our communities,” Forbes said. “There's never a day where the blood supply is not playing a role in saving people's lives."
As quickly as blood is tested, processed and distributed, blood that is donated today will likely be sent to a hospital within two-to-three days. With the quick turnaround, the need for constant blood donations is vital.
That's why Forbes wants to reassure those who come into blood centers, it's still safe to do so.
“Now is the time to donate,” Forbes said. “There is no known risk to blood donors to come in and donate."
At a press conference, Rep. Vern Buchanan discussed the concern of the spread.
"We need to get better prepared than we are today,” Buchanan explained.
In order to do that, some blood centers say we must keep the ready blood supply flowing.
"If you're eligible, we hope to see you at a Big Red Bus or at one of our donor centers in the near future,” Forbes said.
Health officials say blood centers are actually the safest place to be because you have to be healthy in order to donate in the first place. So even if you have the sniffles, the blood center won't let you donate. So, there's no need to fear if you want to be a donor.
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