Vitalant, the nonprofit blood provider that supplies hospitals across the Bay Area, is reporting its lowest supply of type O blood in two years and is urging residents to donate. The organization said thousands of donation appointments need to be filled before the end of July. Type O blood is especially important in emergencies because O-negative can be given to any patient when there isn’t time to determine a blood type, while O-positive can be used for any patient with a positive blood type. Vitalant said the shortage was fueled in part by fewer donations during the Fourth of July holiday travel period, when many regular donors were away.
To encourage donations, Vitalant is offering donors a T-shirt while supplies last through Saturday, as well as a $20 donor rewards gift card for eligible appointments. Donors through Aug. 8 will also be entered into a drawing to win a vehicle valued at up to $30,000. Appointments can be scheduled at Vitalant donation centers, community blood drives, online, through the Vitalant app or by phone.
Type O here. Gave regularly for years, had Red Cross donor card. About 20 years ago went in to donate and they refused. Said it was because I had heart surgery back in 1980. *shrug* If you don’t want it anymore, deal with the shortages
thanks for your donations and trying again
You probably received transfusions from “unknown” origins. A friend’s parent found out YEARS after a 1982 surgery that they had “maybe” been transfused with ‘tainted’ blood, and had to be tested for both AIDS and all the Hep-Vs known to man! Hospital would have NEVER admitted their error if a couple of other patients hadn’t come down with various diseases.
Big Pharma rakes in billions, but they want us to donate blood that they will directly profit from.
Never understood why blood type isn’t a required part of civilian government IDs, like military dog tags. Would save countless lives.
Most people don’t even know their type, I think the only record I have of mine is on by birth discharge papers.
Quotes from Red Cross, etc: “Indigenous populations in the Americas, particularly in parts of South America, exhibit the highest concentration of Type O blood in the world, often making up more than 70% to 100% of the population.” “Immigration increases the demand for Type O blood because a high percentage of immigrants from Latin America (over 56%)”… “Some Peruvian areas may be 71-100% Type O.”
However, those same indigenous people most likely DO NOT donate blood to replenish supplies. Un-documented are not allowed, and ‘legals’ who might be allowed, frequently cannot give blood because of diseases they carry, and some they’ve had or been exposed to. It’s complicated.
According to the Vitalant website Fairfield and San Francisco are the closest locations.
doh,
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Red Cross in Pleasant Hill.
Red Cross website said they’re looking for type O and B negative.