PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Vitalant, formerly known as the Central Blood Blank, has declared a shortage of blood following the holiday season.
Lane told KDKA Radio’s Lynne-Hayes Freeland that the holiday season, which is traditionally a time of giving, can be a time for blood shortages as well.
“We do get off our schedules,” said Lane. “One of the other big reasons that blood donations decline during the holidays is that high schools and colleges are out.”
Lane said that Vitalant gets 20% of its supply from high school and college student donors.
A critical shortage of blood can become even more stressful during unanticipated events, like Sunday’s accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike where five people died and over sixty were injured.
Lane told Freeland that only two individuals from Sunday’s accident needed blood products. However, Lane said that if more individuals needed blood products, the situation could have been much worse.
“Vitalant in Pittsburgh is what we call an importer,” said Lane. “We do not have enough blood that is donated by local members of our community so we have to go to other cities, other communities to get blood and that takes a long time. Sometimes we don’t have that luxury of time to wait.”
Interested blood donors can schedule an appointment online or call one of the 11 donation centers across the city.