Delaware, OH – COhatch Delaware is hosting its 15th Red Cross Blood Drive on Friday, January 20th, inviting donors to come to 18 E William Street between 10 am and 4 pm.

Parking meters reserved for donors will be available in front of COhatch. Donors will also have the chance to win a night in the private theater and a trip to Arizona for the Super Bowl by participating.

The drive is crucial as COhatch fell short of its goal during the December 27th drive, due to winter weather.

A change in the donation policy now makes it easier for certain individuals to give blood. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revised its guidance for those who have spent time in certain European countries between 1980 and 2001, allowing those previously deferred for travel to France, Ireland or the United Kingdom to give blood.

This change could impact hundreds of thousands of people previously unable to give blood or platelets, including many in the military community who have served overseas. The Red Cross encourages individuals who have never tried to donate blood due to concerns over variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), also known as mad cow disease, and believe they may now be eligible, to visit RedCrossBlood.org for more information on the FDA’s new guidelines.

“My sister was visiting during our last drive and was able to donate; she hadn’t been able to give blood since 1986!” said Laurie Lendon, COhatch Delaware Community Manager.

Previously deferred donors under the former vCJD criteria must be reinstated before they can donate again. Reinstatement began on October 3rd and is expected to take several months as it affects hundreds of thousands of donors. Donors will be informed when their reinstatement is complete. They may also contact the Red Cross Donor and Client Support Center at 1-866-236-3276 for information on donor eligibility.

The Red Cross has various safety measures in place to protect the blood supply and the health of donors, including donor eligibility screening and rigorous testing on each donation. The Red Cross remains committed to ensuring that every blood recipient has access to safe, lifesaving blood products when needed.

Sign up for the blood drive here: https://www.redcrossblood.org/mydrives.html/drive/1-CSKK30Y