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COVID-19 Update: Red Cross warning of blood shortage
Mar 17, 2020 1:00 pm
Breaking coronavirus news from the Times Union:
• The American Red Cross is warning of a blood shortage: The organization says fear of spreading the coronavirus prompted the cancellation of blood drives around the country, bringing the blood supply to dangerously low levels. The organization is urging those who can to to donate blood, and have provided a list of the precautions the Red Cross is taking to keep donors healthy at RedCrossBlood [dot] org.
• Several retail stores in the Capital Region are offering special shopping hours for senior citizens for for those more at risk to the virus. Fresh Market stores will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday. Beginning Tue., Mar. 17, the first hour of operation at Dollar General stores each day will be dedicated to senior shoppers. Stores will also be closing an hour early for employees to clean and re-stock shelves.
• Albany County now has 25 total COVID-19 cases, including a 7-year-old child diagnosed with the virus. County Executive Dan McCoy said at a Tuesday morning briefing, he is withholding the identity of the child's school district until he can talk to the superintendent.
• Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during his daily briefing, he has "no plan whatsoever" to quarantine any cities, including New York City.
• Erie County officials are asking anyone who rode Amtrak train 49 on March 9 from New York City to Buffalo to monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19. The train would have passed through the Capital Region stations, including Rensselaer, on its way to western New York.
• The American Red Cross is warning of a blood shortage: The organization says fear of spreading the coronavirus prompted the cancellation of blood drives around the country, bringing the blood supply to dangerously low levels. The organization is urging those who can to to donate blood, and have provided a list of the precautions the Red Cross is taking to keep donors healthy at RedCrossBlood [dot] org.
• Several retail stores in the Capital Region are offering special shopping hours for senior citizens for for those more at risk to the virus. Fresh Market stores will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday. Beginning Tue., Mar. 17, the first hour of operation at Dollar General stores each day will be dedicated to senior shoppers. Stores will also be closing an hour early for employees to clean and re-stock shelves.
• Albany County now has 25 total COVID-19 cases, including a 7-year-old child diagnosed with the virus. County Executive Dan McCoy said at a Tuesday morning briefing, he is withholding the identity of the child's school district until he can talk to the superintendent.
• Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during his daily briefing, he has "no plan whatsoever" to quarantine any cities, including New York City.
• Erie County officials are asking anyone who rode Amtrak train 49 on March 9 from New York City to Buffalo to monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19. The train would have passed through the Capital Region stations, including Rensselaer, on its way to western New York.