‘It’s a crisis’: Local hospitals in need of blood donations
Jun 14, 2021, 7:53 AM
Phlebotomist Jenee Wilson carries COVID-19 convalescent plasma from a donor at Bloodworks Northwest on April 17, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
World Blood Donor Day on Monday finds the Pacific Northwest in urgent need of donations.
Washington blood donations running low due to vaccine misconceptions
The pandemic has created ongoing problems for blood collection centers. Now, there’s a risk of operations being postponed, even urgent ones, if more people don’t come forward to give.
“Operations will stop unless we have the blood necessary,” said Dr. Jorge Reyes, a surgeon at Seattle Children’s and with UW Medicine.
Bloodworks Northwest says it has nothing in reserves and is shipping to local hospitals as quickly as it collects blood and platelets.
“This is quite serious. It’s a crisis,” Reyes said.
Demand at local hospitals is higher than normal, and summer is a peak season for blood use with both trauma and wildfire seasons fast approaching.
Pop-up centers open Bloodworks Northwest to ‘whole new audience’
Type O donors are the most needed. COVID-19 vaccine status has no effect on whether someone can give blood.
