PARSIPPANY — As regions prepare to reopen and hospitals anticipate the return of elective surgeries, New Jersey Blood Services division of New York Blood Center (NYBC) is issuing an urgent call for healthy blood donors. The need for blood has rebounded to pre-COVID-19 levels, but the blood supply is dangerously low. In order to maintain a safe blood supply, a seven-day inventory of all blood types must be continually replenished. Right now, reserves are far below that minimum.
Before COVID-19, mobile blood drives hosted by schools, organizations, and businesses made up around 75% of the region’s incoming blood supply, but all drives had to be canceled during the past several months. NYBC will begin holding a limited number of mobile blood drives each week, but they are far from the 600 drives per month that would be required to meet the need at area hospitals. There will be a community blood drive at Parsippany PAL Building, 33 Baldwin Road, on Tuesday, June 16 between 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Appointments are necessary and can be made by clicking here.
Donating blood is safe and it only takes one hour. They are taking extra precautions to help prevent the person-to-person spread of COVID-19. NYBC staff is also practicing health self-assessments prior to presenting at work. As always, people are not eligible to donate if they’re experiencing a cold, sore throat, respiratory infection, or flu-like symptoms.
