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[citystyle-life-lacc-blog]

Blood Drive and Carry On Additional Screening Due to looming virus

The American Red Cross hosted a blood drive on campus Wednesday and provided updated prescreening questions to stop the collection of blood drawn from individuals who in the past 28 days traveled to China, Hong Kong or Macau, as well as from those who cared for, live with, or had direct contact with body fluids of people with or are suspected of having virus COVID-19, amid city, county, and state officials declaring a state of emergency and confirmed California’s first two resulting deaths from the virus.

“The number of blood donors is relatively low today, but that may be due to several reasons other than the Coronavirus,” said Erica Bravo, Red Cross Volunteer. “We still have 500 drives scheduled this month, and the virus will not be stopping the organization from helping those who depend on our work.”

Bravo told the Collegian Wire students are more afraid of the needle than the risk of being exposed to the Coronavirus. Still, not everyone from her team felt the same contained sentiments towards the newly declared public health emergency when student reporters were prohibited close proximity to the action inside the bus.

The updated Red Cross prescreening questions are an addition to the volume of other existing measures in place to keep blood donations safe. But when the Collegian asked nearby students if donating blood felt safe, some were shook.

“I can’t even donate since I am just getting over a cold and had to skip a few days of class,” said Audrey McDermott, a pre-law student at LACC. “It gives me anxiety to see headlines and emails warning people to think twice before leaving our homes. I have an auto-immune disease. I am not even sure if the school is even doing enough to ensure our safety in the classroom.”

Sophomore pre-law student demands new norms like elbow bumps instead of hand shakes and revamp education awareness on viral infection because people still do not cover their mouths or wash their hands after the toilet.

Mary Gallagher, LA City College President, is asking faculty to consider the circumstances when students leave of absence in class if mild symptoms arise, as well as proactive communication with LACC student body to assure education around sickness prevention and asking students to reconsider coming to class if students have a fever higher than 100F. A student with a mild cough without productive nor spewing respiratory droplets or sneeze and no fever is not required to stay home.

LACC’s Incident Command Center issued an email assuring students there were no COVID-19 cases on campus, no campus closures ordered in California, no official orders to cancel public events in the U.S. nor widespread quarantines.

“I met with health officials from across the district so we can do a coordinated effort of information and decision making through this situation,” Gallagher said.

LACC and district officials are coordinating with Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for more proactive solutions to ensure student and faculty safety.

Inside the Martin Luther, King Library hand sanitizers have been empty since the summer. Library officials say roughly around 100 to 150 students come in and out to use the facility daily.

Students tell the Collegian hand sanitizers have not been put to use for over two semester and others say outdated functionality since virus may spread other ways.

“We have ordered the replacement liquid for the hand sanitizers at the level that the Health Department recommends,” Gallagher said. “We placed an order, and we expect the shipment to arrive soon so the hand sanitizers get replenished.”

Campus administration is working on to provide students with a map indicating sanitation stations around campus as well as other valuable information to help keep student’s minds at ease.

Healthy students seeking to donate blood visit the American Red Cross website.