NEW YORK- New York Blood Center (NYBC) has declared a blood emergency, citing a sharp drop in donations that has left hospitals across the region with critically low supplies.
According to NYBC, blood donations in recent weeks have fallen nearly 40 percent below the level needed to meet hospital demand, resulting in less than a two-day supply of blood for more than 200 hospitals across the tri-state area.
The shortage follows a difficult end to the year marked by multiple disruptions. Severe winter weather across New York forced the cancellation of blood drives and limited travel, including a recent storm that dropped more than a foot of snow in some areas and produced New York City’s largest snowfall in four years. At the same time, record levels of seasonal illness further reduced donor availability, with the New York State Department of Health reporting more than 71,000 positive flu cases in a single week, the highest total since tracking began in 2004.
Holiday scheduling also contributed to the decline. Christmas and New Year’s Day both fell on Thursdays, typically among the highest blood collection days each week, leading to the loss of two full midweek collection days and approximately 10,000 fewer donations than needed to meet hospital demand.
“We are entering the new year with a critically low blood supply, and recent winter weather has made an already challenging season even more difficult,” said Jeannie Mascolino, vice president of blood operations at NYBC. She noted that blood is required daily for trauma care, surgeries, cancer treatment, and chronic conditions, and cannot be replaced when supplies run low.
The emergency comes during National Blood Donor Month, a time normally focused on encouraging donations after the holidays. NYBC officials said the limited shelf life of blood makes immediate donations essential to stabilizing the supply and avoiding disruptions to patient care.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald urged eligible donors to schedule appointments, citing the combined impact of winter weather, high flu rates, and holiday disruptions on the blood supply.
Donors can make appointments by calling 1-800-933-2566 or visiting .
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