Much of the nation is in dire need of blood donations due not only to the pandemic but also the toll taken by Hurricane Ida and wildfires in the western U.S.; blood donation centers are trying to keep up with the demand despite hesitation due to the pandemic.
The New Mexico Department of Health as well as the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management are spreading the word that donations are in high demand at this time, while blood donation events are being canceled left and right.
“I know that Vitalant, which used to be United Blood Services, has had to cancel more than 1,600 blood donation events across New Mexico since the pandemic started," Brian Sayler, spokesperson for New Mexico's Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), said, according to KOAT. "Our involvement in this campaign right now has really come from what we've been hearing from local emergency managers and health care providers, and then tracking what we're seeing in the news."
Despite the hesitation of eligible donors, a spokesperson for Vitalant has reassured interested individuals that all CDC and OSHA guidelines are being diligently followed, and that donors are socially distanced as well as required to mask up.
Among the most in-demand types for blood is O-negative, which is the universal blood donor. It is highly useful at this time because many individuals do not know their blood type, making a universal type valuable in many situations.
Plasma and platelets are also in high demand right now.