Blood supplies are hitting critical lows in New Jersey. It’s a problem that often happens at this time of year, following a lull in blood drives over the holidays and an increase in scheduled medical procedures at the start of the new year. The surge in respiratory viruses is aggravating the shortage nationwide and hospitals are pleading for donations.
Sally Wells of Robert Wood Johnson University’s Hospital Blood Services said blood and platelet donations are critical, and they’re making an urgent appeal for those donations, especially for Type O blood.
“Blood cannot be stockpiled or manufactured. It has to come from human volunteers, and it doesn’t have a long shelf life, about 42 days. We’re just asking people to think of the patients who are need right now. Only three percent of the population donates blood,” said Diane Concannon, director of communications for the New Jersey region of the American Red Cross.
January is National Blood Donor Month.
