Emma Evenhus/The Broadside
Central Oregon Community College held a blood drive hosting Red Cross at Bend campus’ Coats Campus Center on April 21-22. Due to the recent diagnoses of COVID-19 in Deschutes County, clean blood has seen a slight spike in necessity.
Although the campus is closed, Coats Campus Center in Wille Hall briefly opened to allow for volunteers practicing social distancing to donate blood. Students in the nursing program also had the opportunity to volunteer by signing donators in and out of the building and keeping track of the 6-feet-apart rule.
“We filled up all of our donor slots within 48 hours. People in the community are looking for ways to contribute right now,” said Lauren Croteau, second year nursing student at COCC, “The second day of the donation drive we have had to turn away walk-in appointments which is pretty unique, especially considering the campus is shut down.”
It seems the community is more apt to help in keeping Bend and surrounding cities safe and healthy during this time.
“The need for blood is always high, but right now it’s especially high,” said Croteau.
The Red Cross team of employees and volunteers worked to keep the drive a safe place, taking multiple precautions to make sure that was the case. Croteau describes how they achieved this.
“Prior to entering the building, we do a temperature screen, ask donors screening questions, when they come in we ask that they sanitize their hands and put on a mask. The Red Cross employees have set up the donation area to ensure that donors are spaced apart, and they themselves are being screened.”
