With help from the Cadeceus society, the American Red Cross will be hosting the second in a series of local blood drives tommorrow from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Emporia State University Union Ballroom. Donors can check in ahead by filling out the RapidPass.

Khushi Ghanchi, Junior pre-med and biology major, was one of several students helping sign donors in.

“I don’t know if it is because of Covid and the Pandemic but we have certainly seen less people than we have before,” Ghanchi said. “Most of the people that have come in today have been faculty members or college students.” 

According to Ghanchi college students nationwide account for nearly twenty-five percent of total blood donations to the American Red Cross. 

“Some people, like this lady earlier, were saying that they were excited to check on if they had antibodies and how they were developing,” Ghanchi said.

Those who decide to donate blood or plasma are also screened for COVID-19 antibodies which may indicate how a previously positive person is recovering and if the donor has a chance to help patients who are positive with COVID-19. 

The next blood drive will be from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 in the Emporia Flint Hills Mall.

This is a developing story and will be updated as news becomes available.