MURRAY, Utah — Dozens of members and guests of the World Mission Society Church of God donated their blood Sunday.
The blood drive served a pair of purposes. In addition to providing a life-saving resource, those who donated will also have their blood tested for COVID-19 antibodies.
The test results will let donors know if they may have had the virus but were asymptomatic. The information also helps doctors, researchers and those who are fighting COVID-19.
“When this pandemic began, we looked at the evidence from other illnesses and said, there may be a place for giving people support to their immune system in the form of antibodies, the immune response people make when they contract the virus,” said Dr. Walter Kelley with the American Red Cross.
The church has held this blood drive every year since 2014. This year’s event looks a bit different than those of the past, but volunteers felt the blood drive was even more important this year.
“We were able to get that last blood drive in before the pandemic started and we feel like it did make an impact,” said Sidney Rogers who gave blood. “Since then, many people have canceled their blood drives and so that’s why there is such an urgent need.”
In a few days, Sidney and the other volunteers will learn if their blood tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.
The American Red Cross is reminding people of all backgrounds that even beyond this pandemic, there will always be a need for all types of blood.
“There are very special blood groups that only exist in relatively larger numbers in Pacific Islanders, for example,” Dr. Kelley said. “It’s the same thing with the African-American community, same thing with southeast Asia. We need everyone to come out and donate because those special blood units are the only ones who can help certain patients.
Those who would like to give blood can make an appointment to donated with the American Red Cross at this address: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=84103