Blood donations across the U.S., including the Pacific Northwest, are at a critical low. Now one regional blood bank is urging donors to sign up en masse to help offset a projected shortage in July.
Mark Smith is the community engagement liaison for Bloodworks Northwest, based in Seattle. He told KLCC that with high school out for summer, they’re out about 20% of donations, and cancellations from people contracting COVID is also disrupting their donor drives.
“Between now and July 4th, we have 1500 open appointments,” said Smith. “And we need a thousand appointments each day, just to keep up with the needs of our local hospitals. So what is that, we’re running at a 20% deficit of what we actually need on a regular basis.”
Summer means increased travel and activity, which can lead to accidents requiring blood transfusions. Bloodworks Northwest says some reports indicate supplies are at a 10-year-low.
The non-profit organization is also reviving a promotional campaign with Lane County to help drive up low stock.
Bloodworks Northwest says if people donate before July 24th, they’ll get to participate in their “Pint for a Pass” promotion. Smith says it provides a free pass to the Lane County Fair for donors who meet that deadline.
“What we’re experiencing is about a 25-30% “no show” rate, so that neatly knocks down our fill-rate to 75-70%, assuming we had a full appointment schedule.
“So we have people who get distracted, they maybe forget about their appointment, so that is also hitting our collection capabilities.”
Donors can look up sites and times online at BloodworksNW.org.
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