‘We’re In An Official Blood Emergency Right Now’: New York Blood Center Calls For Donations

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The MTA hosted its 10th annual blood drive Friday for employees and Metro-North commuters.

“We’re in an official blood emergency right now,” Elizabeth Hernandez of the New York Blood Center told CBS2’s Leah Mishkin.

​The blood supply usually drops around the holidays because of travel, bad weather and also flu season. Hernandez says if you add in the pandemic, you hit the drastic blood shortage they’re currently facing.

​Right now, she says they have a just one or two day supply of blood on the shelves. That should be at five to seven days.

“Specifically if you’re O negative, please come to Grand Central Terminal and donate blood today,” Hernandez said Friday.

Hernandez says in order to supply the 200 hospitals in the Tri-State Area daily, they need to collect about 2,000 blood donations a day.

​”If we don’t have blood drives, we can’t supply the hospitals,” she said.

The pandemic has created barriers.

“Twenty five percent of our blood collections was within the academic world, and also the business world. And both populations are still either working remotely or doing blended classes,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez says the New York Blood Center has gone from hosting 500 blood drives a month on average pre-pandemic to now hosting about 150.

“We have to get creative,” she said.

“You never know when you or a family member or loved one may need blood themselves,” MTA Police Department Chief of Operations Joseph McGrann said.

McGrann says he gives blood as much as he can.

“I’ve had family members who have undergone surgery for various conditions. I have family members who are cancer survivors who were in need of surgery themselves,” he said.

Many of the people Mishkin spoke with are MTA employees who are supporting the organization’s drive.

​Daryl Wofford heard it on the news and decided to stop by since he lives down the street.

“To do one’s civic duty. It’s just like voting. People have to get involved and that’s what inspired me to come out today,” Wofford said.

You need to show a vaccination card in order to donate.

To make an appointment or learn more about donating, CLICK HERE.

Leah Mishkin contributed to this report. 

from CBS New York https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/12/03/were-in-an-official-blood-emergency-right-now-new-york-blood-center-calls-for-donations/
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