SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — With schools and colleges moving online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the San Diego Blood Bank put out a call to the public Tuesday asking for more blood donations as campus blood drives are canceled or put on hiatus.
According to the blood bank, it is working with schools on creative avenues to support blood donation, such as community drives. However, high school and college blood drives would normally start this week -- meaning the loss of hundreds of pints of blood.
"Approximately 20% of the blood SDBB normally collects comes from high schools and colleges," said San Diego Blood Bank CEO David Wellis. "It's critically important that we make up for those pints we would have collected at schools, so we need people to make appointments for the next couple of months."
To be eligible to donate blood, donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 114 pounds and be in general good health. Appointments are required and available at www.sandiegobloodbank.org or by calling 619-400-8251.
The San Diego Blood Bank is an independent nonprofit which serves hospitals in San Diego, Orange, Imperial and Los Angeles counties with blood transfusion products and reference laboratory services. SDBB currently operates a half-dozen local donor centers and 10 bloodmobiles.
With school online, San Diego Blood Bank asks for donations to make up lost blood drives
According to the blood bank, it is working with schools on creative avenues to support blood donation, such as community drives.
