‘Critical Need’ for Blood, Plasma, Platelet Donations

ST. PETESBURG, FL — With Hurricane Matthew forcing closings at many OneBlood donation centers over the past day or so, the agency reports the need is now critical. OneBlood is resuming its collection operations in parts of the state that are now clear from the storm.

“While all blood types are needed, there is a severe shortage of platelets and plasma as well as O negative and O positive blood,” the center wrote in an email to media.

OneBlood announced the decision to resume operations in much of the state Friday morning after Hurricane Matthew had passed the southern portion of Florida.

“The hurricane has greatly reduced our ability to collect blood over the past few days and as a result we are now facing the reality of a severe blood shortage,” Susan Forbes, OneBlood’s vice president of marketing and communications said in a statement. “The donations that come in from the areas where we are now operating are helping sustain the blood supply throughout OneBlood’s entire service area.”

As of Friday, donations centers were opening in the following areas:

• Tampa Bay, except for Polk County
• Manatee County and surrounding areas
• Miami-Dade and Monroe counties
• Tallahassee, Pensacola and Panhandle
• Ft. Myers

Blood donation centers along the northeast portion of Florida, however, were closed Friday, Oct. 7.

Blood donors must be at least 16 years old, in general good health and weigh at least 110 pounds. To find out more about donating and to find a donation center or Big Red Bus location, visit www.oneblood.org online. OneBlood is the major supplier of blood products to hospitals and other care facilities in the Tampa Bay area and most of Florida. It also serves parts of Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina.

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