WEST PALM BEACH, FL (June 2020) – Palm Beach Outlets (PalmBeachOutlets.com) has extended the OneBlood donation drive to include Saturdays through August 1, 2020 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. near the PetSmart parking lot. Every blood donation will be complimentary tested for the coronavirus antibody and donors will be informed of test results. Due to social distancing measures that OneBlood has in place, all donors are required to make an appointment to donate. Appointments can be made online at OneBlood.org or by calling 1-888-9DONATE.
“We are pleased to extend the OneBlood drive at Palm Beach Outlets,” says Trina Holmsted, Marketing Director of Palm Beach Outlets. “The need for blood donations continues, and OneBlood’s antibody testing has proved to be a significant benefit to donors,” she adds.
OneBlood, a not-for-profit blood center serving Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, is testing all donations for the COVID-19 antibody. The antibody test is authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to the virus, regardless of whether they ever showed symptoms. Donors will be able to see their results approximately 48 hours after donating by logging into their donor portal at OneBlood.org.
“The testing brings many benefits. In addition to donors learning if they have the antibody, OneBlood will be identifying additional people who can be COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors,” said Susan Forbes, OneBlood’s Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications and Public Relations.
Convalescent plasma donors have a special ability to help critically ill coronavirus patients. By transfusing plasma that is rich with coronavirus antibodies into a patient still fighting the virus it can help boost the patient’s immune system and potentially help them recover. With no cure or vaccine to prevent coronavirus, doctors are turning to convalescent plasma to help treat their critically ill coronavirus patients. OneBlood began collecting and distributing COVID-19 convalescent plasma in April.
OneBlood’s COVID-19 antibody testing will also provide important statistical information to public health officials. “OneBlood is working closely with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees M.D., to provide de-identified data on the number of people testing positive and the geographical location. This information will help in decision making for reopening the economy,” said Forbes.
OneBlood is one of the first blood centers to begin testing for the coronavirus antibody and plans to provide the antibody testing for the foreseeable future. COVID-19 antibody testing will be performed in addition to the standard infectious disease testing all blood donations receive. Testing takes place at OneBlood’s laboratory, Creative Testing Solutions (CTS).
General Safety
It is safe to donate blood. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that the coronavirus does not pose any known risk to blood donors during the donation process or from attending blood drives.
OneBlood Donation Safety Protocols
• OneBlood is regulated by the FDA and required to follow strict operational guidelines.
• Our facilities and Big Red Buses are clean and meet all FDA safety standards.
• At every blood drive and donor center OneBlood team members follow safety protocols, including:
– Wearing medical gloves for blood collections.
– Wiping down donor-touched areas and equipment after every collection with disinfectant/wipes. (This includes, donor beds, registration tablets, blood-pressure cuff and hemoglobin sensors).
– Using sterile collection sets for every donation.
– Conducting donor mini physicals, including temperature check (this will be done prior to donors registering) to ensure donors are healthy and well on the day of donation.
– Only people who are healthy are eligible to donate blood. Temperature checks will be done onsite.
– As an additional safety measure, OneBlood is asking people who have traveled to countries at high risk for the coronavirus to self-defer from donating blood for 28 days upon returning to the United States.
– Team members who are sick or not feeling well do not report to work.
Social Distancing at Blood Drives and Donor Center
At blood drives only one to four persons will be permitted on the bus at any one time, separated within proper social distancing guidelines. Donors will be asked to provide their cell phone number so they can wait in their car or outside the Big Red Bus until they are called in to donate blood. Chairs will be provided for them to sit outside while enjoying a snack and beverage under a covered area.
Palm Beach Outlets
Palm Beach Outlets features over 100 stores including brand favorites kate spade new york, Coach, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saks OFF 5TH, Aerie, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Banana Republic Factory Store, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Calvin Klein, Cole Haan Outlet, GUESS Factory, J.Crew Factory, Nautica, Nike Factory Store, Talbots, Tommy Hilfiger, True Religion, Under Armour Factory House, and Vera Bradley Factory Outlet Store. Located immediately off Interstate 95 on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Outlets is the only outlet shopping center within a 55-mile radius and is one of the region’s most visited shopping destinations. The center serves the shopping needs of millions of residents and over 8 million annual visitors to Palm Beach County. For more information, visit PalmBeachOutlets.com.
New England Development
For over 40 years, New England Development has taken a creative, entrepreneurial approach to real estate development and management, delivering and sustaining successful projects across a wide range of property types and across the country. New England Development’s robust portfolio of retail projects includes an exciting mix of outlet centers including Outlets of Little Rock in Little Rock, Arkansas; Asheville Outlets in Asheville, North Carolina; Clarksburg Premium Outlets in Clarksburg, Maryland; Outlets of Des Moines in Altoona, Iowa; and Palm Beach Outlets in West Palm Beach, Florida.