MCADENVILLE, N.C. — The American Red Cross is holding emergency blood drives in Gaston County as COVID-19 causes blood donations to drop.
The blood drives are being held at the Pharr YMCA at 208 Main Street in McAdenville.
The Red Cross' Maya Franklin said COVID-19 concerns forced many blood drives to cancel events, which has led to hundreds of lost donations.
"The need for blood is constant," Franklin said. "It can only come from volunteer donors, and blood is perishable. Blood has an expiration date just like the milk that's in your refrigerator."
All donors and Red Cross volunteers get their temperature taken before going inside the donation center.
Inside, the clinic is following social distancing guidelines, and volunteers are making donors sanitize their hands more often through the entire blood giving process.
Franklin said only healthy people are encouraged to donate.
Ashley Hannah was one of several people waiting outside to donate blood.
"I wanted to give back in some way," Hannah said. "It's something easy and quick to do."
There will be five more blood drives at the Pharr YMCA from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on March 2-26 and March 31-April 2.
To schedule an appointment, click here and enter the sponsor code: PharrYMCA.
MORE ON WCNC CHARLOTTE: