Critical Need For Blood Donations

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Chronic shortages threaten healthcare system as potential second wave looms

NEW YORK — Area hospitals and academic medical centers including NYC Health + Hospitals, Northwell Health, NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Mount Sinai Health System, Montefiore Health System and Catholic Health Services of Long Island are joining forces with New York Blood Center (NYBC) to increase blood donations. Temporary blood shortages are not uncommon during summer and winter holidays each year, but the COVID-19 pandemic has created a chronic shortage across the country that shows no sign of improving. This reality is particularly dangerous given the looming uncertainty surrounding the pandemic’s trajectory over the course of this winter.

New York’s healthcare system requires 1,500 donations each day to treat patients ranging from trauma victims to newborn babies and their mothers to cancer patients. Prior to the pandemic, donors could stop by community blood drives at convenient locations, but nearly all high schools, colleges, offices and other community groups have had to cancel their blood drives due to COVID-19. Blood donors can now make appointments to visit donor centers, but donations are at just 65% of pre-pandemic levels - well below what is needed by hospitals and patients in our area.

“The entire foundation of the way people donate blood has changed. The convenience factor of walking down the hallway while at work, getting out of class or donating after religious services is gone. Instead, we have to rely on people taking the extra step of proactively seeking out a place to donate. So far, that isn’t happening at the level we need,” said Andrea H. Cefarelli, Senior Executive Director of Recruitment & Marketing for New York Blood Center. “In normal times, announcing a blood emergency would create a short-term increase in blood donations, but this will not solve this particularly difficult shortage long-term. This is an incredibly challenging time for our communities.”