By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The American Red Cross needs people to donate blood.
"We have an urgent need for blood donations right now," said Jan Hale with the Red Cross. "After the crazy rollercoaster of the last couple of months, hospitals are beginning to resume surgical procedures and their patient treatments, which they temporarily paused. At the same time, we're still seeing some cancelled blood drives, businesses that are not back working or civic organizations that still have members working from home."
The general restrictions on blood donation are the same.
"You have to be 17 years of age, 16 with mom and dad's okay," Hale said. "You need to weigh about 110 pounds. You need to be in pretty good health. You need to be feeling good that day. We would urge you to go to redcrossblood.org if you have any other concerns."
That's also where you can set an appointment, and you'll need one.
"Let's know who is coming to the drive and what time they are coming," Hale said. "Wear a mask. If you don't have a mask, no worries, we can provide one when you get there. At the beginning of the drive, we're going to take your temperature, ask you to use some hand sanitizer and then we're going to urge you to follow social distancing with the other donors that are there, as well."
The Hutchinson community blood drive is June 1, from noon to 7 p.m. and June 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as June 3, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. all at the First Presbyterian Church at 201 East Sherman.