To help combat the current blood shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hollywood Post 43 will hold a blood drive on Sunday, April 5 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The event, previewed in LA Weekly on Tuesday, is a partnership with the UCLA Blood & Platelet Center.
As organizations and businesses are canceling events across the country, organizers of the Post 43 blood drive decided to go ahead with their plans because of the shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home quarantine orders.
“Hollywood Post 43 is committed to providing local citizens with a safe and sterile option for critical blood donations and continued support of the community during these unprecedented times,” Jennifer Campbell, commander of Hollywood Post 43, said in a statement.
Campbell said the event would be set up to make sure organizers and donors maintain proper social distance and hygiene. The elderly, anyone with a weak immune system and those who live with immunocompromised people are asked to not attend. Donors will also be taken by appointment to better control the number of people in attendance.
Specific precautions, as laid out by the Centers for Disease Control, include placing beds and registration seating 6 feet apart, giving attendees unused pens, taking donor temperatures immediately upon entry, and taking extra time to sanitize the workspace between donors.
To schedule an appointment, visit ucedonor.com and enter “POST43” in the zip code or account box or call (310) 825-0888 extension 2. Donors will receive an AMC Movie ticket. Post 43 is located at 2035 North Highland Ave. in Hollywood.
There are 3,158 confirmed cases and 67 deaths due to COVID-19 in California, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. The newspaper breaks down cases by county and is updating its Coronavirus tracking page regularly.
(image: Los Angeles Times)
Author: Jared Morgan
Jared is the senior editor and web team lead for the Department of California and chair of its Media & Communications Commission. He became a member of the American Legion in 2014 when he joined Palisades Post 283 to find stories about veterans issues for a local newspaper while working as its news editor. He was soon brought in as 283's assistant adjutant and historian to help produce the post's award-winning community newspaper. Since then, Jared has used his media skills to help further the efforts of The American Legion in its advocacy of veterans and their families. Jared has also worked for several years to help revitalize the 100-year-old Santa Monica Post 123, formerly as its adjutant and as a member of its executive board, before transferring back to Post 283.