It Is Safe to Donate Blood

Cascade Regional Blood Services (CRBS) is the sole provider of blood products for MultiCare Health System. It is imperative that healthy individuals continue to donate to minimize disruptions to the blood supply.  As the coronavirus outbreak expands, our blood supply is affected by the decrease in the number of eligible donors and collection drives that are cancelled.  Maintaining a sufficient blood supply is essential to ensure patients receive needed treatments. CRBS’ donation centers in Tacoma, Puyallup, and Federal Way are operating on normal business hours, and we encourage you to  www.crbs.net/donate/ if you are healthy and have not donated in the past 56 days, or have never donated before.

As your community blood center, CRBS is dedicated to helping protect the health and safety of our donors, patients, volunteers, staff, and community as a whole. The coronavirus does not pose any risk to blood donors, either during the donation process or from attending organized blood drives. Cascade Regional Blood Services is the place where healthy people gather to save lives. Please visit www.crbs.net/ 1-877-24-BLOOD to Set a Date to Donate.

It is Safe to Donate Blood

As your community blood center, Cascade Regional Blood Services is the sole provider of blood products to the MultiCare Health System which includes hospitals such as Tacoma General, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospitals, Good Samaritan Hospital, and Auburn Medical Center. We are dedicated to helping protect the health and safety of our donors, patients, volunteers, staff, and community as a whole. The coronavirus does not pose any risk to blood donors, either during the donation process or from attending organized blood drives. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to monitor the coronavirus, COVID-19, and have not recommended any additional action be taken by blood centers at this time.

A Safe and Adequate Blood Supply is Needed

It is imperative that healthy individuals continue to donate to minimize disruptions to the blood supply.  As the coronavirus outbreak expands, our blood supply is affected by the decrease in the number of eligible donors and collection drives that are cancelled.  Maintaining a sufficient blood supply is essential to ensure patients receive needed treatments. Our centers are operating on normal business hours, and we encourage you to donate if you are healthy and have not donated in the past 56 days. 

Measures are in Place to Ensure the Safety of the Blood Supply

Routine screening measures that are already in place that prevent individuals with clinical respiratory infections from donating blood.  According to FDA, there have been no cases of coronaviruses (including SARS and MERS-CoV) reported or suspected from blood transfusions.  

Your Health and Safety
Meticulous hand hygiene and environmental hygiene play a key role in isolation precautions. We have increased our routine cleaning and disinfection in our centers and mobile units and added additional hand hygiene supplies for donors. We encourage you to follow basic CDC recommended preventative actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases including:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Thoroughly wash your hands often with soap and water 
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, when hand washing is not available
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth

Please visit crbs.net/donate/ or call 1-877-24-BLOOD today and Set a Date to Donate. 

Thank you for your continued dedication to saving lives in our community hospitals,

Christine Swinehart

CEO

Cascade Regional Blood Services