Cold & flu season sees drop in much needed blood donations
MIAMI - Cold and flu season is upon us and many people are taking preventive measures like getting vaccines and boosters to protect their health. It's also the time of year when the American Red Cross says it experiences a drop in life-saving blood donations.
"We see an increase in the number of people getting sick and not eligible to donate, while at the same time the demand stays constant," said American Red Cross Medical Director Dr. Baia Lasky
She said the fall and winter months are typically a challenging time for collection. Adding to the problem this year, some people believe they are ineligible because they've had the COVID-19 or flu vaccine.
"There are no deferral periods after either the flu vaccine or the COVID vaccine or any boosters," said Dr. Lasky.
She said there needs to be a constant flow of donors to maintain the blood supply. Unlike other lifesaving treatments, blood donations cannot be stockpiled. Red cells have a shelf life of 42 days while platelets are only good for five days.
William Katz has been donating blood for nearly four decades. Even after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot, he has kept his regular donation schedule.
"When I came in, they said, 'okay, you can be eligible to donate again on December 28th'. So they made an appointment for me, so it's automatic," he said.
The Red Cross is hoping more people like Katz will step up. If you are healthy and symptom-free in the coming months, they urge you to roll up a sleeve and help save lives.
The Red Cross estimates only about 3 percent of people eligible donate blood yearly.
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