UAB Briefs: Blood donors needed during COVID-19 pandemic

In this weekly online feature, we keep track of interesting people and events on campus, including the university’s ongoing efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UAB announced last week that activities and events scheduled to take place on campus during the spring semester were being canceled in an effort to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

In addition, UAB academics is operating in an online/alternative format with no in-person instruction for the remainder of the term.

For the latest updates on UAB’s response to COVID-19 and health information, visit uab.edu/coronavirus.

Donors needed

Hospitals and clinics in America are fighting to maintain an adequate blood supply during the COVID-19 pandemic and avoid dangerous shortages.

UAB and local blood collection agencies, along with the surgeon general, the CDC and the FDA, are urging those who are healthy to donate blood while maintaining social distancing protocols, according to UAB Media Relations.

“The need for blood will continue throughout the disruption caused by the novel coronavirus,” said Dr. Marisa Marques, medical director of UAB Transfusion Services, in a news release. “We will need blood donations next week, the week after and every week that our normal lives are affected by this epidemic.”

UAB is working with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers on a blood drive at 3419 Colonnade Parkway, #400, through Friday, March 27, at 5:30 p.m. Donors must register for an appointment at lifesouth.org.

Safe distancing will be observed, and appointments will limit the number of people donating at any one time. Donating blood is safe, and donation staff are appropriately disinfecting all surfaces at the donor locations. Plans are in progress for additional drives over the coming weeks, and more information will be forthcoming.

The American Red Cross is also accepting blood donors by appointment at their donation locations. To register, go to redcrossblood.org.

“In the weeks ahead, we are asking for all citizens in our region to give the gift of life if they are healthy and able to do so,” Marques said.

More testing

Researchers with the UAB Department of Pathology are collaborating with Children’s of Alabama to increase the testing capability of COVID-19 for hospitals and health care facilities in the state, according to UAB Media Relations.

Dr. Sixto Leal, an assistant professor at UAB Pathology, is spearheading this effort.

The new test was expected to be available late last week and should allow the department to begin processing about 100 tests per day.

“We will be testing primarily priority in-patients at UAB Hospital so we can preserve negative pressure rooms,” Leal said in a news release. “Within three to four weeks, we hope to have 800 tests per day.”

A new update from the CDC for UAB’s testing includes the ability to work directly with the Alabama Department of Public Health instead of having to wait for guidance from the FDA.

“Another thing we’re doing is working with diagnostic test companies on multiple platforms and multiple systems to increase capacity,” Leal said. “One of the issues we’re facing nationwide is that there is such a demand for reagents to do these diagnostic tests, and the reagents are not available. That’s why we’re going the LDT route, which is a laboratory developed test. Developing our own tests enables us to obtain the reagents to be able to perform the tests. So a lot of commercial manufacturers are ramping up their production, which makes tests available, and we’re working to bring up several of these here at UAB.”

New testing site

An appointment-based community coronavirus testing site sponsored by UAB Medicine and the Jefferson County Department of Health opened in downtown Birmingham on Monday, March 23.

The  Downtown COVID-19 Testing Site is located at the corner of University Boulevard and 22nd Street South and operates by appointment only.

Those who have symptoms of COVID-19 — cough, fever or shortness of breath — or believe they may have had contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 can call 205-975-1881 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. and be screened by a medical provider.

Appointments will be scheduled from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. seven days a week. 

For complete information, including on-site instructions for those who make testing appointments, click here.