Winter is already a slow time for blood drives. Coronavirus is making it worse, and threatening the donated blood supply in the U.S.
Bloodworks Northwest, a nonprofit blood donation organization that serves hospitals in Washington state and Oregon, also saw a recent rise in cancellations. As schools closed and new work-from-home policies began in those areas, host sites dropped out and people canceled appointments. They lost 100 blood drives as a result, says Curt Bailey, president and CEO of Bloodworks Northwest.
After public officials urged people to give blood and media began writing about the crisis, “we started to see a significant influx of newly scheduled appointments, and we started to see new organizations raise their hands and offer to host a blood drive,” Bailey says. The trend reversed. “Now, our blood supply is healthy and our inventories are very strong.” The challenge, he says, will be converting crisis donors into ones who give regularly to sustain them through the coronavirus outbreak.
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