Twitter: let’s talk about blood and platelet donation.

Both whole blood and platelets are critically important and in constant demand. That demand hasn’t changed with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Many people know about donating blood, but not enough know about donating platelets. If you’re eligible to donate blood, you’re eligible to donate platelets too, and you should definitely consider this.

Platelets are the part of blood that makes it clot. Many people—like cancer patients and the chronically ill—need platelet transfusions to survive. Each donation has to be used FAST: they expire after only five days! (But each donation can help up to three people.)

While it’s true that donating platelets is time consuming, the volunteers wrap you up in toasty blankets and you can watch a movie if you’re into that. It’s not at all painful, and you don’t feel the same kind of woozy or dizzy you may feel after giving blood.

Also: unlike whole blood—where you have to wait 8 weeks between donations—you can donate platelets every seven days!

If you’re reading this thread and this sounds like something you want to do, make an appointment at your local blood donation center. If you have any questions, my DMs are open.