RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Blood Services and the Virginia Red Cross are in the process of becoming one company, a merger that will change the way blood can be donated in the Commonwealth.
Starting in January, The Red Cross says it will be accepting platelet-only donations at donation centers in Richmond, Chesterfield, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg.
Those looking to donate 'whole blood' can do so at any community blood drive across the commonwealth.
"If you've been a donor in the past with Virginia Blood Services we have those records on file with the Red Cross. We're going to be able to bring you into our system and make sure that we can continue to accept that blood that is so vitally important to the hospitals here in the Richmond area," said "Jon Macnamera of Virginia Blood Services.
The red cross says it's working to train staff so that every donation center can accept whole blood.
