Blood supplies dwindling

Donations needed to protect health care system

Our foe the COVID-19 virus threatens not only those infected with it, but people facing emergency surgeries that can’t wait until the pandemic subsides.

Blood banks face the reality of canceled blood drives and plummeting donations. Hospitals don’t have the blood they need for trauma victims from car wrecks or other emergency surgeries. Donations are needed to help cancer patients and obstetric patients.

Healthy people can and should donate blood. Blood banks and the Red Cross still accept donations and are careful to practice social distancing and sanitize their facilities. Fear is not the answer.

Those who have given blood regularly for years — true life savers — should continue to do so, now more than ever. Those who have never donated should know the need is great and they will be following the golden rule.

Each of us is only a bad accident away from needing emergency surgery, and we’d all like to know that surgeons had the blood supply available to save us.

The two primary blood banks in the area are both calling for help — The Red Cross and Vitalant. To donate, call Vitalant at 877-258-4825 or go to their website, vitalant.org. For the Red Cross, go to redcrossblood.org to find blood drives in the area, or call 888-217-9599 and press 9.

Vitalant provides blood to both University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Allegheny Health Network hospitals. Volunteers are needed to help with donations as well.

The need is critical. Federal health officials are urging people to give.

Be a helper. Your blood will save a life. Follow the golden rule. Give blood at a time when it is most needed.