Snowstorm impacts local blood supply, donations urgent in February

The weekend snowstorm blanketing much of Western Washington and Portland has created a dangerous dent in our local blood supply due to cancelled blood drives and inability to travel to appointments. The cancellations mean over 800 donations couldn’t be collected leaving our community in short supply of lifesaving blood and in urgent need of more donors

“The snowstorm hit us at a time when our community blood supply is already experiencing a surge in hospital usage,” said Bloodworks President and CEO Curt Bailey. “In the past three days we’ve collected only 52% of the blood components needed to support patients. Blood and platelet shortages like we’re experiencing now jeopardize the availability of blood for our local hospitals and trauma centers. The community must donate in the days and weeks ahead to rebuild the supply for patients who depend on lifesaving transfusions.”

It typically takes 1,000 people each day to make appointments to give blood at Bloodworks Donor Centers and Pop-Up Blood Drives happening throughout Western Washington and Oregon. Bloodworks is testing all blood donations in February for COVID-19 antibodies. Positive donors could become convalescent plasma donors and may help critically ill coronavirus patients directly. All donors through March 17 will be automatically entered for a chance to win a new car as a thank you for helping during this critical time.

“People with Type O and B negative blood and platelet donors are urgently needed this week, and all blood types are needed in February to help recover from the donations we were unable to collect due to the snow,” said Executive Vice President of Blood Services Vicki Finson. “If you’re new to donating blood or you haven’t donated in a while, now is the time to schedule your appointment and keep the shelves stocked for local patients.”

Donations with Bloodworks provide 95% of the lifesaving blood supply to Pacific Northwest hospitals. It takes about an hour to give blood from check-in to post-donation cookie. Appointments and masks required. In accordance with current social distancing guidelines, no walk-ins, guests, or people under age 16 are permitted onsite. Donors must wait 2 weeks after each COVID-19 vaccination dose for their next donation appointment. Bloodworks has posted information addressing questions and concerns for blood donors at bloodworksnw.org/coronavirus. Information about who can donate and where, is available at www.bloodworksnw.org.

Additional Resources
For the latest information on COVID-19 please visit the CDC website, Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 main page, and Oregon Health Authority.

Bloodworks Donor Centers and Pop-Up Centers
Appointments and information at BloodworksNW.org or 800-398-7888. See our list of Donor Centers and Pop-Up locations.

• • Bellevue Center 1807 132nd Avenue NE Bellevue, WA 98005 425-453-4200
  • Bellingham Center 410 W Bakerview Rd., Suite 117 Bellingham, WA 98226 360-671-8848
  • Central Seattle 921 Terry Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 206-292-6500
  • Everett Center 2703 Oakes Avenue Everett, WA 98201 425-740-2909
  • Federal Way Center 1414 S 324TH Street, B101 Federal Way, WA 98003 253-945-8660
  • Lynnwood Center 19723 Highway 99, Suite F Lynnwood, WA 98036 425-412-1000
  • Olympia Center 1220 Eastside Street SE Olympia, WA 98501 360-596-3950
  • North Seattle Center 10357 Stone Avenue N Seattle, WA 98133 206-526-1970
  • Silverdale Center 3230 NW Randall Way Silverdale, WA 98383 360-308-7340
  • Tukwila Center 130 Andover Park E Tukwila, WA 98188 206-241-6300
  • Vancouver, WA Donor Center 9320 NE Vancouver Mall Blvd, Suite100 Vancouver, WA 98662 360-567-4800
  • Eugene, OR Center 2211 Willamette St Eugene, OR 97405 541-484-9111

About Bloodworks Northwest
Bloodworks Northwest is backed by 75 years of Northwest history and 250,000 donors. It is local, nonprofit, independent, volunteer-supported and community-based. A recognized leader in transfusion medicine, Bloodworks serves patients at hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska — partnering closely with local hospitals to deliver the highest level of patient care. Comprehensive services include blood components, complex cross-matching, specialized lab services for organ transplants, care for patients with blood disorders, and collection of cord blood stem cells for cancer treatment. Bloodworks Research Institute performs leading-edge research in blood biology, transfusion medicine, blood storage and treatment of blood disorders. Patients with traumatic injuries, undergoing surgeries or organ transplantation, or receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders all depend on our services, expertise, laboratories and research.

Blood donation appointments can be scheduled at bloodworksnw.org.