Blood bank in need of donations; drives scheduled on Whidbey Island

Among the many impacts of the coronavirus outbreak is a shortage of blood.

Bloodworks Northwest, a statewide blood bank, is asking for healthy and willing individuals to give a pint of the red stuff. The blood supply has been severely affected because many donation sites have been closed during the coronavirus outbreak.

Blood drives are scheduled for Whidbey Island during the upcoming weeks. From 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. this Thursday, the public can go to Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland to donate blood.

A second drive is being held 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 19 at the United Methodist Church in Coupeville.

On April 24, a Langley blood drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the U.S. Bank parking lot.

“A lot of our blood drives are tied to business and schools, and employers have been asking employees to work from home,” Bloodworks Communications Special-ist Bill Harper said.

According to a press release, as of Friday, March 6, the blood bank lost 60 percent of that supply, and 20 groups cancelled blood drives.

Harper said the blood bank is seeing 140 fewer donors every day than it expects to see at its donation centers and mobile blood drives.