New York Blood Center (NYBC) is calling for more blood donors, due to an alarming drop in blood donations over the holiday weekend. NYBC announced a blood emergency earlier this month, as the blood supply has remained critically low. The region’s blood supply currently stands at a 3-day level, which is well below the ideal level of 5-7-days.
Hospitals and patients rely upon a steady flow of volunteer donors to receive life-saving donations, but the recent holiday weekend coupled with school breaks and increased travel have made blood donation less of a priority. In addition to this, the past two years have caused increased volatility in the blood supply, as the pandemic made it difficult for companies and schools to host blood drives.
It only takes one hour to donate, and a single donation can save multiple lives. Roughly one in seven hospital admissions require a blood transfusion. Those in need include: cancer patients, accident, burn, or trauma victims, transplant recipients, surgery patients, chronically transfused patients suffering from sickle cell disease or thalassemia, and many more.