KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Blood donation centers near the Universities of Tennessee and Florida are competing to see who can collect the most red blood cells.
MEDIC Blood Center is hosting this year's blood drive in Knoxville. Any of its locations or mobile donation centers are eligible for the contest which runs from Monday, September 13 to Friday, September 17.
The competition between UT and UF fans comes at a time of need for blood donations.
"This is a national situation," Kristy Altman from MEDIC said. "Everyone is in the same boat as far as having very little inventory."
Altman said MEDIC's local blood supply will only last a couple of days. They ask everybody of all blood types to donate, but especially those with O negative and O positive blood, because they are the blood types that can be used most universally.
MEDIC is also looking for convalescent plasma, the plasma of people who recovered from COVID-19. Plasma donations are not part of the contest between UT and UF, but they are still needed.
The FDA said people who are fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks are "encouraged" to donate their plasma.
Altman said people should only donate their convalescent plasma if they were sick with COVID-19 before getting the vaccine for the coronavirus.
People who donate blood during the contest will get a free t-shirt, coupons to restaurants and be entered into a drawing to win a tailgate basket. Donations are collected at MEDIC's locations and mobile collection sites.