7 blood donation excuses explained

Maybe you’re needle phobic. Maybe you’re busy. Maybe you’re worried about being in close quarters with others. Whatever your excuse for not donating blood, Lok Tse has heard it.

“Some just have a fear of needles or they fear the sight of blood,” said Tse, the supervisor of transfusion medicine services and the blood donor program at Cape Cod Healthcare’s Nicholas G. Xiarhos Blood Donor Center in Hyannis. “But if people don’t donate, how would the blood become available? The only way to get blood is from donating blood.”

This is no time to be squeamish: The nation’s blood supply is at one of its lowest levels in years, according to a recent statement from by the American Red Cross, the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB) and America’s Blood Centers, the nonprofit association of community-based blood donation centers.

“Blood donations are needed now to avert the need to postpone potential lifesaving treatments,” the organizations said, noting that in the United States, more than 16 million units of blood and blood products are transfused annually. That means more than 45,000 units are needed daily. They urged everyone to step up to donate blood and asked businesses to encourage their employees to donate. Even during a pandemic, giving blood is considered an essential community service, according to the Red Cross.

But what if all those excuses for not giving blood are persistent voices in your head? Here are Tse’s responses to seven of the most common objections:

1. I’m worried about COVID-19. The staff at the Xiarhos Blood Donor Center and at mobile blood drives take every precaution they can against COVID-19, Tse said. For example, to ensure social distancing, walk-ins are no longer accepted, and every donor must have an appointment. Donors and staff are required to wear a mask and areas and equipment are disinfected regularly. The donation center does not require donors to be vaccinated but highly recommends that they are.
2. I’m afraid of needles. Good news, there likely will be one less needle when you give blood. The blood center uses an instrument that measures the hemoglobin in your blood without the dreaded finger prick. (Blood donation can drop your hemoglobin levels and if it’s too low, the blood can’t carry oxygen to your brain and other organs.) The OrSense hemoglobin analyzer is a ring-shaped sensor that fits snugly on your thumb, almost like a mini blood-pressure cuff. Results are ready in less than 60 seconds. “The finger stick is the least favorite part of the blood donation process for most donors. The OrSense device allows for a pain-free hemoglobin test,” Tse said. Also, the staff will do their best to keep you distracted from the pinch of the blood draw. “I think once people donate that first time, then it’s not a big deal.”
3. I don’t have enough blood to share. “The average person has eight to 12 pints of blood in their body and only donates one pint,” Tse said. After donating, you will spend 10-15 minutes in the canteen area while you enjoy a snack and something to drink. Staff will keep an eye on you and make sure you’re OK before leaving. There are some minimum requirements: You must weigh at least 110 pounds and be at least 16 years of age. Your body will replace the plasma from your donation within about 24 hours although your cells need about four to six weeks for complete replacement. That’s why at least eight weeks are required between whole blood donations, according to the Red Cross.
4. I don’t know my blood type. It doesn’t matter – all blood types are needed, and your blood will be typed when it’s drawn, Tse said. The most common blood types are O and A. Type B and AB are less common. People with type O blood are considered universal donors since their blood can be used by anyone. Once you’ve donated blood, you’ll receive a card with your blood type on it.
5. I’m not sure my blood is safe. “All donated blood is tested for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, Babesia, West Nile virus, Chagas, and Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type I and II,” Tse said. Donors also fill out a questionnaire to make sure they don’t have any medication conditions or take any medications that would make their blood unsafe for someone else. For example, anyone who has traveled to an area where malaria is epidemic would be asked to wait three months before donating.
6. I don’t have time. “Most blood donors are in and out in 45 minutes or so,” Tse said. That’s barely as long as a TV show on Netflix. Donors fill out the donor questionnaire and then are screened for hemoglobin levels, blood pressure, pulse and temperature. Most people are in the blood donation chair for less than 10 minutes, particularly if they have good veins, he said. Lastly, donors spend 10-15 minutes under observation and get some water or juice and a snack, so staff can make sure they are OK before they leave.
7. Won’t someone else do it? “People always think someone else is going to do it,” Tse said. “They think there are so many other people donating. That’s not true. Less than 5 percent of the population donates blood. That’s why there’s a shortage.”

If you are ready to donate, check out the donor questionnaire. (If you have questions, call the Xiarhos Blood Center at 508-862-5663.) Then, you can book an appointment on the website of the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Blood Donor Center - Cape Cod Healthcare to donate at a local blood drive near you. If you would like to schedule an appointment to donate at the Xiarhos Blood Center in Hyannis, please call 508-862-5663.