Bay Area Blood Supplies Critically Low

June 15, 2006

Blood Centers of the Pacific Reporting Less than a Half-day’s Supply

Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP) is asking for immediate blood donations – especially of Type O blood – to boost critically low blood supplies. The Bay Area has been in a serious blood shortage since the beginning of the month and supplies are dangerously low.

In response to the critical shortage, BCP is now rationing blood to the 41 hospitals it serves and has put those hospitals on notice that there might not be enough available blood for procedures requiring large amounts of Type O .

Typically, the summertime brings blood shortages to metropolitan areas, as many regular blood donors go on vacation and donor groups such as high schools and colleges aren’t able to host blood drives.

Of those people eligible to donate blood, less than 4 percent actually do. To make up that deficit, BCP regularly imports blood from outside the state. However, because summertime shortages are nationwide, the blood center has been unable to receive its regular orders of blood.

“Of particular concern at this time is our ability to support organ transplants and/or significant traumas,” said Lisa Bloch, spokesperson for Blood Centers of the Pacific. “Organ transplants can require a tremendous amount of blood and these procedures are put in jeopardy with a critical shortage like this.”

Blood Centers of the Pacific is a nonprofit, community-based organization that provides volunteer blood donations to patients in 41 hospitals throughout Northern California. BCP has donation locations throughout the region.

To donate blood, call 888-393-GIVE or visit http://www.bloodcenters.org.

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BCP will be open on Sunday, June 18th, 2006 from 9am to 2pm at the following centers:

North Bay Center - Fairfield
Shasta Blood Center - Redding
Peninsula Center - San Mateo
Irwin Center - San Francisco