Monmouth Medical Center & Monmouth U hold blood drives

As a teaching hospital with a broad array of surgical centers of excellence and the region’s largest birthing center, it is critically important for Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) to maintain an adequate supply of blood and blood products.

The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing that was required to slow the spread of infections in our state has caused a severe drop in blood donations and critically low blood supplies at New Jersey hospitals, including MMC. In addition, the pandemic’s impact has significantly limited the number of blood drives that we would typically schedule in the spring and early summer in anticipation of annual summer blood shortages.

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Current visitor restrictions are prohibiting us from hosting in-house blood drives, and so we have partnered with Monmouth University to use the Stafford Student Center, Anacon Hall, as a venue for employees and the community to donate blood and platelets. As one of our valued community partners, I am asking you to direct any of your employees who are able, as well as family and friends, to our Community Blood and Platelet Drive on August 11th and 12th to donate blood or other blood products such as platelets and plasma. All blood types are needed with Types O and B particularly in short supply at the present time.

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Here’s what you need to know:

All participants will be pre-screened before entering the blood drive site. COVID-exposure-related questions and a temperature check will be performed.

Any person that has been exposed to a known COVID positive patient must wait 28 days from their last exposure to donate blood or platelets.

We remain vigilant in maintaining safe protocols for all blood donors, with all donor stations spaced at least six-feet apart, all staff and volunteers wearing masks and decontamination of the chair and equipment after each donation and between donors.

Refreshments will be served to all donors at the bedside.

Hours for the drives are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on August 11th, and on 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. on August 12th. Blood Services staff members are standing by to address any questions or concerns and to make appointments. Please call 732-235-8100, extensions 221 or 248, or visit rwjuhdonorclub.org.

Throughout our COVID-19 pandemic response, we have been inspired by the tremendous outpouring of support from our community. We hope that you will support us again by giving the gift of life so we can maintain an adequate blood supply for our patients who need it most. Together, we will overcome this crisis and emerge stronger by working together and remembering our neighbors in need.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Eric Carney, President and Chief Executive Officer