The coronavirus pandemic has killed blood drives across the country, and blood centers are asking for help.

Butler County residents have an opportunity to save thousands of lives.

“A lot of people are not feeling well, and they're not coming in to donate,” said Kristen Lane, a spokesperson for Vitalant.

Vitalant is the nation's second-largest community blood service provider, and one of its donation centers is at the Butler Health System's Crossroads campus. Another is in the Butler Centre in Cranberry Township.

As part of President Donald Trump's coronavirus briefing Thursday, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams urged healthy people to donate blood.

Adams said nationwide blood centers are implementing additional precautions, but are still encouraging people to donate.

“Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement,” Adams said.

Some of the added protocols include spacing beds 6 feet apart, disinfecting surfaces between patients and temperature checking staff.

Lisa Landis, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, said these safety measures should encourage people that it is safe to donate.

She said centers are screening people at the door and turning people away who are ill.

But even a person with coronavirus in theory could still give blood.

“There's no evidence or data that corona or any respiratory illness has been transmitted through blood transfusion,” Landis said.

Red Cross data shows that since the coronavirus-spurred shutdown, 4,500 drives have been cancelled nationwide, resulting in 150,000 lost donations. Statewide, these numbers are broken down into 257 canceled drives and 7,506 units lost.

“These are staggering numbers,” she said. “That number will continue to go up in the days ahead.”

To address this problem, Vitalant has extended hours of operation at its blood centers, like the ones in Butler County.

Lane said some people have the right intentions behind not giving blood right now, but she wants to allay people's fears.

“Blood drives are not mass gatherings,” she said. “They are essential medical necessities.”

Currently, all blood types and components are needed, with a critical need for platelets and Type-O blood.

Platelets and blood have a shelf life of only a few days and need consistently restocked.

Lane said people are also concerned about transmitting the disease through their donation or potentially compromising their own health by being depleted of blood.

“Giving blood has no impact on the donor's immune system, and it is highly unlikely the virus can be transmitted through blood transfusion,” Lane said.

Fear is an inhibitor, but people can make a difference in their community by overcoming these fears, according to Landis.

Landis said every two seconds, there is someone in need of blood, whether it is a trauma victim, a cancer patient or someone with an underlying health condition.

“The blood can only come from a healthy donor. It can't be manufactured. This is it,” Landis said.

She said Americans must continue to do what they do best.

“We come together to take care of one another,” Landis said.

<b>Vitalant</b>To make an appointment with Vitalant, call 877-258-4825 or go online to vitalant.org.The following Vitalant locations are open for donation:Butler: Butler Health System, 127 Oneida Valley Road, Suite 206. Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Monday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; March 27, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Cranberry Township: Butler Centre, Second Floor, 20421 Route 19. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Monday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.Downtown Pittsburgh: Law & Finance building, 429 Fourth Ave. Monday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.<b>Red Cross</b>To make an appointment through the American Red Cross, call 1-800-Red-Cross or visit redcross.org to find a local blood drive.