Donations are needed to maintain blood supplies provided by the American Red Cross and Nebraska Community Blood Bank.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts called on Nebraskans this week to make appointments to give blood, as regular blood drives are being canceled across the country.

“The American Red Cross has been there for Nebraskans in our times of greatest need,” Ricketts said. “Now, I urge healthy Nebraskans to help the Red Cross and their neighbors by setting an appointment to donate blood as soon as possible.”

Staff at blood drives and donation centers are taking extra precautions because of the outbreak of coronavirus, including temperature checks, providing hand sanitizer and spacing out donors.

“Social distancing doesn’t mean social disengagement,” U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said. “So, give blood today, you’ll feel good about it.”

Blood supplies are needed for patients who need surgery, those involved in car crashes and similar traumas and cancer patients.

Healthy donors who have not traveled to Europe, Iran the United Kingdom or China, have not had close contact with someone with a known case of COVID-19, have not been suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 28 days and do not have a fever or other possible symptoms of COVID-19 should consider donating, according to the Nebraska Community Blood Bank.

Make an appointment with the American Red Cross by going to redcrossblood.org or calling 800-733-2767. Make an appointment with NCBB at donor.ncbb.org or calling 877-486-9414.