Red Cross Needs Missoula COVID Survivors To Donate Blood
If you caught COVID-19 at some point and have since recovered, here's something you can do to help others who have caught the disease.
Montana is facing a convalescent plasma shortage, and survivors of COVID-19 could have antibodies in their plasma that can be used to treat patients who currently have it. The Montana Red Cross is asking for donations and testing all blood for these antibodies.
They say they especially need donations of this blood right now - it's not uncommon for there to be shortages in their blood supply when the weather is as bad as it's been recently.
So if you're able to donate, the good news is you have plenty of opportunities in Missoula to do so. Here's the schedule for the next few Red Cross blood drives in town:
2/26/2021: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., University of Montana The James E Todd Center, The University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive
You can set up an appointment by downloading the American Red Cross Blood Donor app (which will also allow you to view your antibody test results), by checking out their website, or by calling 1-800-733-2767.
And as always, remember to social distance, wear a mask, wash your hands, and everything you've been hearing already for the past year to avoid spreading the disease. While we wait for the vaccine to be distributed to enough people for it to really get us back to normal, it's important to maintain what we've been doing.
LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions
While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.