'Urgently' Needed Blood Drive Returns To Bayside With Mets Sweepstakes

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — A local politician is calling on Baysiders to show up for a much-needed annual blood drive this summer — and promising a Mets-themed sweepstakes for donors that do.

Bayside's Assembly Member Edward Braunstein is sponsoring a summer blood drive with the New York Blood Center at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 11.

To incentivize donations, everyone who gives blood will receive a free limited edition New York Mets t-shirt, and will be entered into a raffle to win a 6-pack of Met's tickets, courtesy of the blood center.

Braunstein said he is "proud" to partner with the New York Blood Center to support its lifesaving work. "A single blood donation can save up to three lives," he said.

This is the 10th time that the Assembly Member has organized a summer blood drive in Bayside, but this year donations are especially needed.

In May, NYBC declared a blood emergency, after the organization's blood supply dropped below-normal — an ongoing issue amid the pandemic. At the time, NYBC had only one to two days of blood supply for type O blood.

Andrea Cefarelli, senior executive director at NYBC, attributed May's low-supply to a spike in COVID cases and spring break travel.

"This time of the year always tends to be difficult for the blood supply, with school spring breaks and increased travel making blood donations less of a priority," she said in a statement at the time.

"These factors are now coinciding with increasing COVID cases and a potential fifth wave of the pandemic."

Neighbors in Bayside, though, have stepped up to help combat the New York Blood Center's ongoing pandemic-induced blood shortages: one local hotel, which has hosted seven blood drives since the start of the pandemic, was honored earlier this year for helping to save over 1,000 lives.

For August's blood drive, prospective donors cannot give blood if they've had a positive COVID test or been told to quarantine in the 14 days ahead of the event.

People who have recovered from the coronavirus can still donate blood, but they must be 14 days symptom free in order to do so, Braunstein's office explained.

To give blood on Aug. 11, you can sign up online here, or contact Braunstein's office by phone at 718-357-3588 or by email at braunsteine@nyassembly.gov.