Blood centers plead for Valley residents to donate as hospitals face dangerous risk

Valley hospitals are canceling surgeries because of a shortage of blood.
Thursday, April 15, 2021
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- An urgent call for help is still ringing loud and clear from the Central California Blood Center.

After speaking to organizers there a week ago, they say the situation now is still dire for replenishing the draining blood supply.

A nationwide blood shortage has been hitting home in recent weeks.

And the normal supply the blood center would be getting from blood drives and other events has been at a standstill since the start of the pandemic.

Levels are so low there is an extremely dangerous risk to hospitals that there won't be enough blood to go around.



There is currently only about a day or two worth of blood supply.

Blood center officials tell Action News surgeries are being canceled - even important and urgent ones like cardiac procedures.

They say people are now at a real risk of not recovering properly from those procedures and are asking anyone who can to please donate.

Officials are urging people of all blood types to donate.

For more information on how you can make a difference, visit the Central California Blood Center's website.
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