Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the Beverly Grove neighborhood is calling on people to attend a blood drive Thursday to help replenish a shrinking supply of blood.
The shortage comes as hundreds of community blood drives were recently canceled due to social distancing practices, the Medical Center stated in a news release.
On Wednesday, the American Red Cross declared there was a “severe blood shortage” due to the coronavirus outbreak but asked donors to find a way to continue to give blood.
Mayo Clinic Pathologist Justin Kreuter also encouraged people to get out and donate.
“Absolutely it’s safe to donate. Nobody is going to get the novel coronavirus by donating blood,” Kreuter said. “Coronavirus is not spread through blood transmission,” he said.
Cedars-Sinai says it has lost 800 potential units of blood in the month of March alone.
The Medical Center will be taking measures to ensure the safety of the public during Thursday’s blood drive.
The number of people allowed inside and outside the blood mobile will be limited and safe-distance rules will be practiced, the news release stated.
The blood mobile will be parked next to the Medical Center behind 127 South San Vicente Avenue (on South Sherbourne Drive) between 9:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is located next to the Beverly Center.