Kristi Jones, MTN Reporter
September 9, 2020
Middle Tennessee State University is kicking off its first blood drive of the year.
All donors will recieve a free COVID-19 antibody test along with their donation.
The Charlie & Hazel Daniels Veterens and Military Family Center and the MTSU Red Cross Club are sponsoring the blood drive.
For the first time, the annual blood drive will not be on campus at the Recreation Center. Due to COVID-19, MTSU has decided to hold the blood drive off campus to limit non-students and faculty on campus. The blood drive will be at the North Boulevard Church of Christ Gym. The location is one-quarter of a mile North of campus at 1112 North Rutherford Boulevard. Students, faculty and other Murfreesboro citizens will be able to donate from 12-6 p.m.
To make an appointment to donate, visit redcrossblood.org and enter Murfreesboro zip-code 37130 and choose your preferred time. You can also call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment.
Along with a free COVID-19 antibody test, all donors will also receive a coupon for Sports Clips haircut and a free t-shirt.
The COVID-19 antibody test will screen the antibodies in your blood that form when the body fights off an infection, like Coronavirus. The test will show if your immune system has reacted to the virus.
Antibody test results wil be available by logging into your Red Cross Blood Donor personal accound 7-10 days after the donation.
Donors who do test positive for COVID-19 antibodies may be able to further help by convalescent plasma donations. Plasma donations that have responded to COVID-19 can attack the virus in a body. This is a new way of being able to combat the virus and help find a cure.