City of Santa Maria hosting blood drive

SANTA MARIA, Calif - Help save a life by signing up for a blood drive hosted by the City of Santa Maria on Tuesday, October 6.

You can donate blood from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in a pop-up blood donation center within the Santa Maria Public Library at 421 South McClelland Street. 

Sick individuals are not permitted to donate blood. 

To ensure donors are healthy, temperatures will be taken before they enter the donation area, facial coverings and social distancing will be in effect and staff will sanitize surfaces during the four hour blood drive.

While donations of all blood types are encouraged, donors with Type O-negative blood are especially needed because O-negative red cells can be transfused to anyone. 

O-negative red blood cells are often used to help patients when there is no time to determine the patient's own blood type. 

Donors with Type AB (positive or negative) are also needed. 

Type AB plasma can be given to all patients, and is the only plasma used for trauma patients and neonatal babies. 

To sign up as a donor with a reserved time visit www.blood4life.org and search for sponsor code 2017. 

Donors can also contact Vitalant offices at (805) 542-8500 to schedule an appointment.