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The Blood Center is planning to hold its first mobile blood drive since late March, due to COVID-19.

The blood drive will be at the AT&T Central Office located on 148 Ave. B in Bogalusa on Tuesday, from noon until 6 p.m. The Blood Center staff extends a big thank you to Britt Ikerd for setting up this blood drive.

The center is in desperate need for blood donors, because many of the surgeries that were postponed have been resumed locally and nationally. Due to surgeries being resumed, the need for blood products has spiked.

The Blood Center will be practicing social distancing while collecting blood donations. Donors are asked to make an appointment, whether online or by phone, before coming in to provide blood, to make sure that people do not have to wait outside or in a large group.

Along with blood donors, The Blood Center is searching for anyone willing to host blood drives. The center is trying not to use the bloodmobiles, because they are very limited with the amount of donors in the bus at one time. The center is looking for a place to set up inside. The center can bring bloodmobiles if there is a place for donors to wait, register and screen before entering the bloodmobile.

To make an appointment for the blood drive, visit thebloodcenter.org or call Kristi Garner Womack at 985-635-9613. For people who tested positive for COVID-19 and would like to donate plasma for COVID-19 hospital patients, visit tbc.bio-linked.org or contact Suzy Potter at 504-939-9609.