Vitalant declares ‘blood emergency’ due to critical drop in supplies

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- A significant drop in blood supplies by nearly 50% since the start of summer has created a critical shortage, causing Vitalant to declare a "blood emergency" on the Central Coast and across the country.

Vitalant, the nation’s largest independent, nonprofit blood services provider, is calling on donors to schedule an appointment in the near future.

Blood donated at Vitalant offices will help boost supplies at 22 local hospitals and about 900 nationwide.

Donations are urgently needed since Vitalant reports fewer donors are typically available during the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend.

Vitalant is especially concerned with the emergency shortage of Type 0, which is the most frequently transfused blood type. Recently, O-positive blood has frequently fallen to just one-day’s supply.

"Hospitals need people to donate during these critical weeks,” said Vitalant Chief Medical and Scientific Officer Dr. Ralph Vassallo. “Patient blood needs don’t conform to a predictable schedule. Several patients may experience emergencies, while a planned surgery could suddenly require dozens of units of blood for one patient. Hospitals must have blood available to take care of everyone.”

Due to new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance, Vitalant is now able to accept donations from people who were previously unable to give blood due to travel associated with the risk of vCJD, or mad cow disease.

Under previous regulations, donors were unable to donate if they had traveled to France, Ireland or the United Kingdom due to the risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), also known as mad cow disease.

With the updated FDA guidance, these donors are eligible to donate with Vitalant, as long as they meet all other eligibility criteria.

For more information about the current blood shortage, or to schedule an appointment, click here.

Vitalant has local offices in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara and Ventura.