Help us save lives on May 23

If you can’t make it to our studios, no worries! You can donate through June 12 at your Neighborhood Donor Center.

New guidelines issued by the Food and Drug Administration are expanding those who are now eligible to donate blood.

During the pandemic, there’s been a severe blood and platelet shortage.

If you can’t make it to our studios, no worries! You can donate thru June 13 at your Neighborhood Donor Center or any of the locations below.

Officials said there’s currently a blood supply shortage.

At the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, medical director Dr. Marsha Bertholf explained, “(blood from COVID-19 survivors) contains antibodies that then can go into the patients and help fight off the virus.”Using convalescent plasma is a very old treatment. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center said all donations stay in our community first. If you are positive for antibodies, the blood center will call you and request a plasma donation. Plasma donationPlasma is the clear, straw-colored liquid portion of blood that remains after red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and other cellular components are removed. The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center tests blood donations for antibodies.

HOUSTON The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center said it is preparing to help those hit hardest by Hurricane Laura if theres a need. Typically after natural disasters, blood donations are needed. Heres whyOur community alone needs close to 1,000 units of blood for patients in the hospital right now. When natural disasters hit, donations in the hard-hit areas get used up quickly and demand rises. Right now all blood donations are screened for antibodies to determine if a donor has recovered from the coronavirus.

HOUSTON The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center announced that all donations made after June 15 will automatically be tested for COVID-19 antibodies. While this test will detect the presence of antibodies, the blood center says it is not intended to diagnose an active case of coronavirus. KPRC 2 Blood DriveBetween June 11 and June 15, KPRC 2 hosted its annual blood drive with the Gulf Coast Regional Center. As a result, the blood center says through the KPRC 2 blood drive, 4,173 lives will be saved. There were 13% more donations made during this years blood drive compared to 2019, the blood center said.

There’s a critical need for blood donations in our community and your donation could help save three lives!