New York Blood Center (NYBC) has issued an urgent call for type O+ and O- blood donations.
“… dangerous shortage is impacting local hospitals …”
This dangerous shortage is impacting local hospitals and part of a disturbing national trend, with Type O shortages reported across the U.S. The current inventory of type O blood is the lowest it’s been since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further complicating this shortage is a recent surge in blood usage. In the past several days, 7 massive transfusion protocols (MTPs) have occurred across the region. MTPs involve administering 10 or more units of blood to a patient within 24 hours but can often require 50 or more lifesaving blood products per patient, placing tremendous strain on the blood supply.
Type O+ is the most common blood type, representing nearly 40% of the U.S. population. Type O- is the universal blood type and is commonly used in emergency settings. A shortage of both types, both locally and nationally, poses serious concerns for our healthcare system, and the need for donors is critical.
“… calling on all individuals with Type O blood to make an immediate donation.”
In addition, the region continues to struggle with the challenges that often accompany the summer months. Seasonal travel, school breaks, and a rise in traumatic accidents during the summer months often strain the blood supply and lead to shortages. NYBC is calling on all individuals with Type O blood to make an immediate donation.
“We are appealing to our community to step up and donate blood, especially those who are type O. The summer months are always a challenging time for the blood supply, but we are currently experiencing an even lower level of this crucial blood type than at the start of the pandemic,” said Andrea Cefarelli, Senior Vice President at New York Blood Center. “Following the recent surge in blood usage, our local inventory is critically low, and we need immediate support to ensure that every patient receives the lifesaving care they need.”
“Blood donors can give every 56 days …”
NYBC hosts daily blood drives and operates 19 area donor centers to reach donors and meet local hospital needs. Blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently lifted several blood donor eligibility restrictions. To view current eligibility guidelines, visit nybc.org or call 800.688.0900.
To make an appointment, donors can call 1-800-933-2566 or visit nybc.org. Can’t donate blood? You can still support NYBC’s mission by texting ‘NYBC’ to ‘20222’ to give $25.
New York Blood Center Enterprises
Founded in 1964, New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe) celebrates 60 Years of Extraordinary Lifesaving Research, Innovation and Impact. NYBCe is one of the largest nonprofit, independent, community blood centers in the world. Along with partner organizations Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD), Community Blood Center of Kansas City (CBC), Connecticut Blood Center (CTBC), Memorial Blood Centers (MBC), Nebraska Community Blood Bank (NCBB), and Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC), we collect approximately 4,000 units of blood products each day and serve communities approaching 50 million people in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT), mid-Atlantic area (PA, DE, MD), Kansas City metropolitan area, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Southern New England. NYBCe delivers lifesaving blood products and services as well as clinical, medical, pharmaceutical, testing, and consultative services to over 600 hospitals and dozens of research organizations, academic institutions, and biomedical companies. Among other milestones, our Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute pioneered the Hepatitis B vaccine and patented a solvent detergent plasma process, innovating blood-purification technology world-wide. For more information, visit nybc.org.
Photo credit: WIki.
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