Published by Kirby Winn on Friday, September 30, 2022 in News Releases
(September 30, 2022) – ImpactLife is announcing a change to the blood center’s policy on masks at its donation centers and mobile blood drives. Beginning Saturday, October 1, masks will be optional at ImpactLife blood collection operations. The blood center has required staff, volunteers, and donors to wear masks in its facilities and at mobile blood drives since April 2020. Under the mask optional policy, ImpactLife staff members will wear masks when requested to do so by donors and blood center staff will comply with mask requirements set by organizations that host mobile blood drives.
Leaders at ImpactLife have continually reviewed the mask policy and considered this change for several months. “Although community transmission is still considered high, we are seeing less severe symptoms and lower rates of hospitalization with the current subvariant strain,” said Dr. Daniela Hermelin, Chief Medical Officer. “These factors – and our continued emphasis on the protective benefits of COVID-19 vaccination and boosters – allow us to begin treating infection control for COVID-19 in similar ways to prevention of other communicable diseases.”
ImpactLife will continue to follow health and safety protocols for donors and staff such as frequent cleaning of high touch surfaces, frequent hand sanitizing, and requiring staff members to stay home if not feeling well.
![Donors Needed Hurricane Ian]()
Hurricane Ian Response and ImpactLife Donor Promotion
Earlier this week, ImpactLife shipped a package of Type O red blood cells to Florida, helping support hospitals and blood providers in region hit by Hurricane Ian. Additional donations of red blood cells and platelets are needed to maintain the blood supply for local hospitals and for ongoing support of the hurricane region. For information on local donation centers and mobile blood drives, call (800) 747-5401, visit www.bloodcenter.org, or schedule via the ImpactLife mobile app, available at www.bloodcenter.org/app.
![ImpactLife blood type mug]()
Through November 13, all donors will receive a voucher to redeem for an electronic gift card or ImpactLife Blood Type Mug by coming to give blood at any ImpactLife donor center or mobile blood drive. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org/promotions.
About ImpactLife
ImpactLife is a not-for-profit community organization providing blood services to 124 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. Services extend from southcentral Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri and from Danville, Illinois to Chariton, Iowa. (See a map of the ImpactLife service region.) ImpactLife operates 22 Donor Centers and holds approximately 5000 mobile blood drives annually to provide blood components needed for patient transfusions at hospitals throughout our region.
For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube.
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