Alex Vance (L) speaks with medical assistant Lydia Rezene as he donates blood at Bloodworks Northwest on March 17, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Schools provide 25 percent of local blood donations and their closing due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has officials worried the region could see a shortage. (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
Americans capable, willing, and able to donate blood are encouraged to do so during an era of social distancing.
"Social distancing doesn't have to mean social disengagement," U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said during the Coronavirus Task Force briefing on Thursday, warning of blood shortages.
American Red Cross Senior Vice President Paul Sullivan told Cheddar he's concerned about an already low blood supply in the U.S., compounded by a recent wave of coronavirus-inspired blood drive cancellations, numbering more than 5,000 drives resulting in some 170,000 fewer donations.
Sullivan said he still plans to continue donating.
However, the Red Cross is changing its normal precautions in response to coronavirus concerns. Sullivan told Cheddar those new precautions include temperature checks before entering the donation space and changing gloves between each collection.
Surgeon General Adams also explained beds are six feet apart and staff members are disinfecting surfaces more often.
"So give blood today. You'll feel good about it, and you'll be helping your country and community during this crisis. And you might even save a life," he said.
Red blood cells only have a shelf life of 42 days and platelets just 5 days, so blood donations must continue in order to continue vital medical procedures to keep people alive.
"As this progresses, the way it will challenge our healthcare system … it will be just that — it will be very challenging," Sullivan warned. "No one gets a transfusion if they don't need it. We don't want to put the medical community in a situation where they have to pick who gets blood and who doesn't."
Miami's real estate market has boomed since early 2020, thanks to an overall strong housing market, remote work, and no income tax as incentives. The city is preparing to welcome even more residents as people relocate to warmer climates to work from home. Garrett Derderian, director of market intelligence at SERHANT, joined Cheddar to discuss the Magic City's red hot market.
Actor, entertainer, and hip hop icon Queen Latifah is partnering with It's Bigger Than Me, an initiative with the goal of ending the stigma around obesity. She joined Cheddar News to discuss how she is working toward educating others and having important conversations about the social struggles that come with obesity. “We can’t let the Queen Latifah’s of the world not exist. We need people to care about other people," the "Hustle" star said.
Sarah Warbelow, legal director for Human Rights Campaign, joins Cheddar News to discuss why advocates want to overturn the FDA's rule restricting gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
Actor Jamie Chung joins Cheddar News to talk about her upcoming projects and her new partnership with Duracell helping parents learn more about hidden dangers in their home. But that's not all, she plays a fun game with us too!
Child care marketplace startup Kinside announced raising $12 million in a Series A round led by venture capitalists who are mothers themselves. The company aids parents searching for affordable child care easier by providing concierge support in a marketplace of verified professionals and helping them tap into flexible spending accounts (FSA) and other benefits. Founder and CEO Shadiah Sigala joined Cheddar News to talk about the fresh funds and the ongoing effects of the pandemic on the care of young children.
When it comes to diversity in children's toys, we have come a long way as a society but we still have a ways to go. One group of students decided to take matters into their own hands. Truly You! Character Creator is a fashion illustration activity set made for youth by youth. Lindsay Buckingham, one of the toy’s creators, sat down with Cheddar News to talk all about it.
David Levine, elections integrity fellow with Alliance for Securing Democracy, joins Cheddar News to discuss Politico's bombshell finding revealing the RNC's plan to contest the elections.
Perfect for Pride Month, Hulu’s "Fire Island" is a queer take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The cast of the gay rom-com, Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, and Matt Rogers, joined Cheddar News to discuss the groundbreaking film. "I had to write it completely and have something to point to, to say this is the story, this is actually good, this is something that people will want to watch," said the writer and star Booster. "And so it took a long time, but I'm very lucky and blessed that I had a lot of people along the way who believed in it."
Catching you up on today’s entertainment headlines with CBS in the works to replace James Corden on the "The Late Late Show," "Top Gun: Maverick" facing a copyright lawsuit, Neve Campbell not returning to "Scream 6" over a disagreement about her salary, and more.
