Blood supply during the winter typically remains low due to cold weather and rises in seasonal illness. Following the winter storm from the end of the last month, however, the ongoing freezing temperatures have caused a cancellation of blood drives not just in New Jersey, but across the United States as a whole, according to Action News.
Several blood banks, such as the Blood Bank of Delmarva, have declared emergencies due to low supply.
The blood shortage and low levels also mean a struggle through a shortage of platelets, which are gathered from different blood types, such as Type O, Type A-, and Type B-. Platelets are a crucial aspect for patients in the surgical recovery process. Ahmed Salahuddin, the vice president of Virtua Health Lab Services, explained in a statement to Action News how platelets have a short shelf life of only five days, which causes platelets to be one of the most affected aspects of this current blood shortage.
“The nation usually sees a drop in donations around this time of year because people don’t donate over the holidays. Bad weather and illnesses also get in the way,” said Stephanie Stahl, a health reporter for CBS News.
Diane Concannon, the communications director for the American Red Cross, states that over 500 recent blood drives have been cancelled, and around 20,000 collections have been missed. The American Red Cross is encouraging anyone and everybody able to get out and donate. Donors over the past few months were automatically entered into a Super Bowl LX ticket giveaway, as well as given a $20 gift card to a retailer of their choice.
“I can’t put into words how much people need the blood on that shelf,” says Concannon. “It’s an amazing way to pay it forward, in so many different ways.”
In the wake of the current blood shortage, current running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, Saquon Barkley, has made a major impact in donating blood and collecting donations in the N.J. and P.A. area. According to the American Red Cross, Barkley teamed up with them to encourage people through his own media outlets, as well as the official outlets for the American Red Cross, to go and donate and save lives.
According to Andrew Perrone, the head of Rowan’s Office of Volunteerism & Community Engagement, the university has partnered with the Red Cross for over 15 years. Rowan hosts a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross every 56 days on campus, the most recent one taking place last Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Rowan Recreation Center.
Alexandria Kerr, a Graduate Coordinator for Volunteerism & Community Engagement at Rowan who also serves as the lead liaison with the American Red Cross for all of Rowan’s blood drives, is eager to get more Rowan students involved in helping out by donating blood.
“Our blood drives consistently have an amazing turnout, and we are incredibly grateful to be part of such an actively involved community,” said Kerr. “I personally cannot recommend donating blood enough. The process only takes about 30 minutes, and it’s essentially a free mini health checkup.”
Those who may be interested in donating blood can visit the American Red Cross’ website to learn more. Limited appointments are still available to be scheduled at Rowan College of South Jersey’s blood drive on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Rowan and Glassboro community members can also schedule appointments for upcoming blood drives on April 2 at the Rowan Recreation Center and April 6 at the Glassboro VFW Post 679.
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