Olympia blood drive takes on greater importance as coronavirus fears keep donors away
The Hunter Goodman memorial blood drive, which is set for Thursday on the Capitol Campus in Olympia, has taken on greater importance as coronavirus fears spook donors and cause blood supplies to fall.
That’s according to James Moore, donor services supervisor at the Olympia location of Bloodworks Northwest, a blood bank.
Bloodworks is based in Seattle and has donor centers throughout the region. Typically 1,000 people a day donate blood at its centers, which is enough to maintain around a four-day supply of blood for all blood types, Moore said.
But since the coronavirus outbreak in Washington state, blood donations have fallen, he said.
Moore said the region had 980 fewer donations last week and it’s falling by 140 fewer donations per day. Those who regularly donate tend to be older adults, who might be feeling especially concerned about the virus, he said.
Still, Moore hopes the Olympia community responds to this week’s blood drive, just as they did after the Amtrak train derailment near DuPont in 2017.
“We just got a huge response from folks to donate,” said Moore, recalling the incident.
Organizers hope for at least 100 donors, he said.
The blood drive, named for a former secretary of the Washington Senate who passed away in 2019, is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at 416 Sid Snyder Ave.
Moore said Bloodworks is following the coronavirus guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and the state Department of Health.
“We are focused on a clean donation environment,” he said, adding that they screen out anyone who isn’t feeling well.
The Olympia location of Bloodworks at 1220 Eastside St. SE has also extended its Friday and Saturday hours to 6 p.m., Moore said.
