We understand that there may be concerns after the Shelter in Place announcement and we want to assure our community of the following:
- We Are Blood is an essential healthcare operation exempt from the Shelter in Place order issued by Travis County, Williamson County, and surrounding areas.
- Our donors, volunteers, and staff are allowed to travel outside their homes to come to donate, volunteer, and work at We Are Blood.
- Blood banks like ours are exempt from Shelter in Place orders due to the critical services we provide the community that must continue in order for patients to receive lifesaving treatment at hospitals.
- We Are Blood will continue to host mobile blood drives with communities who are willing to help us collect donations for Central Texas.
- As a healthcare operation that will continue to operate during Shelter in Place, we have increased safety protocols, including cleaning and social distancing.
We are in awe of our community as they continue to come out to donate blood and platelets at our three donor centers and existing mobile drives. We understand how difficult it can be to know how to safely protect yourself and your family while ensuring the safety of all Central Texans. Be assured that we are taking every precaution to protect each and every donor that we see as well as our courageous staff and volunteers.
While we don’t know how Shelter in Place will be monitored, know that your donation appointment confirmation email acts as proof of your intention when traveling. We are likewise providing volunteer certificates to each of our volunteers.
Many have reached out asking how you can help when appointments at our donor centers are already filled for the week.
We Are Blood will need your help in the coming weeks. Please, go online and check out the mobile blood drives that still have available appointments. Or, if you’d rather donate at a donor center, please check out the schedule for the upcoming weeks! Appointments made in the coming weeks will help us to maintain a safe supply of life-saving blood & platelet donations to deliver to local hospitals and patients over the long haul as they deal with the coronavirus.
In short, by scheduling ahead, you will be targeting your help for when it will be needed the most. So please, book your blood donation appointment now, and know that you are helping our community get through the course of this pandemic!