Colorado State Patrol launches ‘virtual’ blood drive for February

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Blood donations often see a sharp decline in the winter months and with the Covid-19 pandemic it has only complicated things further. Teaming up with Vitalant, the Colorado State Patrol will be holding a virtual blood drive throughout the month of February. 

Trooper Jason Morales with Colorado State Patrol said, “We are the state patrol and we save lives. Every donation can affect three lives positively.”

What’s key about this blood drive is the fact that Vitalant will test all successful donations for Covid-19 antibodies. Vitalant says a single donation has the ability to save up to three lives.

“They can look at future convalescent plasma donors to really help people who are struggling and may need donations with those antibodies in it,” said Trooper Morales.

You're probably wondering: how can you donate blood virtually?

Trooper Morales says it’s a simple process: “They’ve set up these virtual blood drives where you sign up and pledge a donation and use your email address. As soon as you pledge your donation, you can go to any blood drive or blood reception center.”

Morales added that protecting the community is their primary duty, so if that means helping organize a blood drive then that’s exactly what they will do.

“Any effort that we can make triples our ability to affect people positively on a basis like this which is definitely something the state patrol wants to do,” Morales said.

If you want to sign up and make a pledge through Colorado State Patrol you can do so by clicking here.