10,000+ fewer blood donations, a 40% drop in recent weeks, leaves less than a two-day supply across the region
New York Blood Center (NYBC) has declared a blood emergency and is issuing an urgent call for donors. Holiday disruptions, severe winter weather, canceled blood drives, and widespread seasonal illnesses have led to a significant decline in blood donations, resulting in critically low levels across the region.
In recent weeks, blood donations have dropped nearly 40% below what is needed to meet hospital demand, resulting in less than a two-day supply of blood for more than 200 hospitals across the tri-state area. The emergency declaration follows an exceptionally challenging end to the year, caused by a combination of events that sharply reduced blood donations:
- Severe winter weather across New York, including a recent storm that dropped more than a foot of snow in some areas and resulted in New York City’s largest snowfall in four years, led to disrupted travel and forced blood drive cancellations
- Record seasonal illness, with New York State’s Department of Health reporting more than 71,000 positive flu cases in a single week, the highest single-week total since tracking began in 2004
- Major holiday disruptions, with Christmas and New Year’s Day both falling on Thursdays, typically one of the highest collection days each week, resulting in a near-total loss of midweek donations for two consecutive weeks and approximately 10,000 fewer donations than needed to meet hospital demand
“We are entering the new year with a critically low blood supply, and recent winter weather has made an already challenging season even more difficult,” said Jeannie Mascolino, Vice President, Blood Operations at New York Blood Center. “Blood is needed every single day for trauma care, surgeries, cancer treatment, and chronic conditions, and there is no substitute when donations fall short.”…