Red Cross Blood Drives Coming Up In Columbus Area

COLUMBUS, OH — The coronavirus pandemic has put many things on hold for the past year, but the need for local blood donations hasn’t ebbed.

The pandemic, combined with severe weather in much of the country, has challenged the nation's blood supply. All blood types are needed, especially type O.

In most states, donors need to be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health; some states allow 16-year-olds to donate with parental consent. Donors 18 years old and younger need to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Red Cross blood drives follow coronavirus safety protocols including temperature screening, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff.

Here are the Red Cross blood drives coming up in the Columbus area in the next couple weeks. You can search for additional Red Cross blood drives from a wider area here.

• 3/24/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 995 E. Broad Street (Columbus)
• 3/24/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 3/24/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 3/24/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 3/24/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Church of the Redeemer United Methodist, 235 McNaughten Road (Columbus)
• 3/24/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Dublin Community Church, 81 W. Bridge St. (Dublin)
• 3/24/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Whitehall United Methodist Church, 525 Bernhard Road (Columbus)
• 3/25/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 3/25/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 995 E. Broad Street (Columbus)
• 3/25/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Mifflin Presbyterian Church, 123 Granville Street (Gahanna)
• 3/25/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Westerville United Church of Christ, 770 County Line Rd. (Westerville)
• 3/25/2021: 11:45 a.m. - 7 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 3/25/2021: 11:45 a.m. - 7 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 3/25/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3500 Main Street (Hilliard)
• 3/25/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Pickerington Church of the Nazarene, 11775 Pickerington Rd. NW (Pickerington)
• 3/25/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church, 1636 Graham Rd (Reynoldsburg)
• 3/25/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Westbelt Blood Donation Center, 4327 Equity Drive (Columbus)
• 3/26/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 3/26/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 3/26/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Dublin Community Church, 81 W. Bridge St. (Dublin)
• 3/26/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, 7500 Hospital Drive (Dublin)
• 3/26/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, 303 E Town Street (Columbus)
• 3/26/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital, 7277 Smiths Mill Road (New Albany)
• 3/26/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., City of Grove City, 3226 Kingston Avenue (Grove City)
• 3/27/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 3/27/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 3/27/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 3/27/2021: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 3924 Home Road (Powell)
• 3/27/2021: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Westbelt Blood Donation Center, 4327 Equity Drive (Columbus)
• 3/27/2021: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Grove City United Methodist Church, 2684 Columbus Street (Grove City)
• 3/27/2021: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Iron Workers Union Local No. 172, 2867 S High St (Columbus)
• 3/28/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 3/28/2021: 8:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 3/28/2021: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Gender Road Christian Church, 5336 Gender Road (Canal Winchester)
• 3/28/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Old Pier 1 Imports Building, 1320 Polaris Parkway (Columbus)

Click here to see more Red Cross blood drives in the Columbus area, or search for others nearby.

Editor's note: This list was automatically generated using data compiled by the American Red Cross. The local blood drives included in the list are limited to those in the Red Cross data. Please report any errors or other feedback to content@patch.com. Know of another blood drive coming up in your area? You can add it to the Patch calendar using this form.

Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive. Appointments can be made via the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, online or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The Red Cross is testing all donations for COVID-19 antibodies. The antibodies may indicate a person's immune system developed antibodies in response to a coronavirus infection or a vaccine. Plasma from whole blood donations that tests positive for high levels of COVID-19 antibodies may be used in convalescent plasma treatments for coronavirus patients.

COVID-19 antibody test results will be available to donors within two weeks in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity, according to the Red Cross.