Blood Banks in the Rio Grande Valley are running dangerously low according to Carla Alexander, a Vitalant Blood Bank representative.
With the pandemic, donors seemed fewer and fewer, and during its peak, many surgeries were put on hold, which also meant a decrease in blood demand.
Now after the Valley began to come back to regular activities, surgeries and hospital activities have also come back to their regular occupation, blood donors haven’t followed suit and supply is running low.
“There is an ongoing need for blood,” Alexander said. “Not just for accidents, but for surgeries. Heart surgeries, cancer, all sorts of things. We just want people to consider that they would want the blood to be on the shelf if it was their family. It’s always someone’s family.”
Blood banks urge the community to be a part of the solutions.
“The people in the Valley— when there are urgent situations— they’re really good about stepping up,” Alexander said. “We are in an urgent need at this time.”For more information to donate blood, please visit www.Vitalant.org.
