As a provider of essential health care services, LifeStream Blood Bank is exempt from the statewide Shelter-in-Place/Stay-At-Home order that Governor Gavin Newsom issued Wednesday, March 19, 2020. LifeStream blood centers are open, and blood donors are strongly encouraged to show up in force to help save lives.
“The shelter-in-place/stay-at-home order does not apply to blood banks or blood donors,” said LifeStream Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joe Chaffin. “It is okay for people to come to any of our blood centers or blood drives to donate blood. As we continue to navigate the Coronavirus pandemic, blood donations remain essential. Patients are at risk if physicians and hospitals do not have enough blood to perform surgeries, provide treatment for cancer or sickle cell disease or to treat burn, trauma and accident victims. The only place to get blood is from generous, volunteer blood donors. If you are healthy and feeling well, we urge you to donate blood. You will help save lives,” Chaffin said.
“You can still go out and give blood,” said US Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD. “We’re worried about potential blood shortages in the future. Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement.”
To make an appointment to donate blood, call 800-879-4484 or visit LStream.org. LifeStream donor centers (San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario, Victorville, Murrieta, La Quinta, and Rancho Mirage) are open. LifeStream’s center inside the Moreno Valley Mall is closed March 20-30 in line with the temporary mall closure.
LifeStream continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and will quickly implement any necessary changes as new information emerges from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and FDA.
LifeStream is a nonprofit, comprehensive blood center that provides blood products and services to more than 80 Southern California hospitals. For more information, call 800-879-4484 or visit LStream.org.
