BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Blood donations are in dire need in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Tuesday that there may not be enough blood to get through major surgeries by the end of the week.
“It’s important to know that donating blood is safe,” Connect Life’s Director of Blood Donor Recruitment, Amanda Farrell, said. “We need healthy donors to continue to donor. There was a statement released by the US Health Department and the FDA that said donating is essential. Having a ready blood supply is critical for disaster preparedness.”
She said that within Western New York, 80 percent of hospitals receive their blood supply through their organization.
"We need people to start turning out in force to give blood," Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s biologics evaluation and research, said in a statement.
“We’re living day-to-day but we’re anticipating that collections here will be down by 50 to 60 percent,” Farrell said. “People are still getting sick. People are still hospitalized. And people need that ready blood supply.”
If someone has coronavirus but donated blood, Farrell said they will follow FDA recommendations. The blood is not released to local hospitals until after it’s tested. She also said if someone begins to not feel well after donations, they are provided with a number to contact so that product is quarantined.
ConnectLife continues to follow CDC recommendations on how to handle coronavirus as a staff.
To schedule a blood donation, call (716) 529-4470 or by visiting connectlife.org.