Blood: This is What Professionals Do

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Fish Newsome

Students practice taking blood from a dummy patient.

Fish Newsome

Why do people donate blood? Blood is humankind’s fuel that keeps their organs and other fluids in check. Blood is made from bone marrow and different types of blood cells to create the liquid that is so essential to life. This liquid is responsible for more than just staying inside the human body; it helps dispose of waste, transport oxygen, and carbon dioxide through the body. Blood is important, and its important humans have lots of it, because if we lose too much and we cease to exist. But how can humans keep enough blood in their system without bleeding out? Blood can be multiplied through the blood cells spreading, but that takes time and energy, things that are running out because of that stab wound, so where to get the blood? From the blood stored by medical professionals to aid each other. Henceforth, blood drives were invented. 

Blood drives occur when a person voluntarily has blood drawn to be used for transfusions. Blood is stored in refrigerators at six degrees celsius to help keep the blood clean from bacteria that might infect the blood. Refrigeration lasts up to about forty-two days, afterwards, the blood ceases because outside the human body it cannot process oxygen as well and then turns into a gaseous state and is then unusable, so that’s why people need a constant supply of donators. 

Karns is having their very own drive to help donate blood, but due to the recurring theme of Covid-19, anything can happen. So what will happen to the blood drive in the case of the likely virus? The drive is prepared. The drive is taking precautions to help combat the viruses with the help of masks to help avoid contracting the virus and distancing six feet between each donor of blood. In the chance of a sudden siege of Coronavirus, the blood drive is still to continue, for they are sure to stay safe while donating blood. Covid-19 can travel through the air and also liquid, so this raises the question of what if a person that was positive with Covid-19 were to donate blood? Well, that threat is canceled. Even before the virus because STDs and other diseases were a thing, they test the blood of each donor before storing it away.