O Unicamp Blood Center launched this Tuesday (1) the 2021 edition of the Red June campaign, which aims to encourage blood donation. With the theme "Move: Blood Saves", the unit will take advantage of the Olympic year to also encourage healthy living and physical exercise. Therefore, this year's godfather is marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro, two-time champion of the 1999 and 2003 Pan-American Games and bronze medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In addition to encouraging blood donations, throughout the month of June, the Hemocentro also holds the First Virtual Run and Walk. More than 400 registrants will participate, recording their 3km and 5km routes, always respecting health measures and without promoting crowds.
On this first day, the campaign has a donation marathon until 19:30 pm. There will also be a light show projected on the facade of the Hemocentro from 18:30 pm. On June 14th, which marks World Blood Donor Day, there will be a festive donation in honor of those who come through the unit and contribute. The campaign ends on June 30th with a special collection held at the Army Cadet Preparatory School (EsPCEx).
The Red June campaign began in 2015 in Brazil. The month was chosen to celebrate World Blood Donor Day and also to encourage donations during the coldest months of the year, a time when blood centers record lower levels of blood in stock. According to Vagner de Castro, director of the Blood Center Collection Service, it was possible to notice throughout 2020 and in this first half of 2021 the effects of the covid-19 pandemic on the decrease in the number of donations. "Usually when we have a more intense drop in donations, we use information through social networks, through the press, and these actions have always brought returns. In this time of pandemic, they are not bringing as much results. This makes us worried", explains the doctor .
Vagner also reinforces that the Hemocentro is a controlled environment and that all precautions are taken to ensure there is no risk of contamination by the coronavirus. Therefore, blood donations can continue without people worrying. "We are always thinking about how to inform people in an appropriate way, because it doesn't make sense for people to go out to family gatherings, bars and restaurants, but be afraid to donate blood, which is something necessary to serve the population", emphasizes.
In addition to the basic guidelines for donating blood, the Hemocentro also informs that people who have had Covid-19 must wait at least one month for complete recovery and complete absence of symptoms to donate blood. Those who have had the disease can also contribute by donating convalescent blood plasma. In these cases, antibodies present in plasma can help in the treatment of patients infected with the coronavirus. To donate plasma, simply schedule a regular blood donation and inform about this possibility. The collections are sent to the Butantan Institute, which coordinates the plasma distribution network for the treatment of covid-19.
Other information about the Red June campaign and how to be a blood donor is available at Unicamp Blood Center website.
