Amid blood shortage, Las Vegas Valley residents urged to donate

Type O blood, both positive and negative, are in short supply — below the desired four-day supply level, said Mike Doria, spokesman for blood supplier Vitalant.

“It happens every summer, but this year the shortage started early in the summer and has just continued,” Doria said. “Maybe it was because of the early heat and people didn’t want to go out, but the July 4 holiday was a killer (in terms of donations).”

Donations were 8,000 units short in June and the July 4 holiday period resulted in a shortage of 7,500 units, he said.

Donations of all blood types are welcome, but especially needed are O positive and O negative.

“The community blood supply needs donors of all blood types to maintain an adequate four-day supply,” Doria stated in a news release. “We especially need type O right now due to its universal qualities and critical role during emergencies. We never want to get to a position where doctors must make tough choices based on the supply.”

August 2024 Blood Drives by Las Vegas Review-Journal on Scribd

More than 50 community blood drives are available in August for people in Southern Nevada to make a lifesaving donation, the release stated. Approximately 46 percent of the population has type O blood to give and help overcome the shortage.

In addition to the mobile community blood drives, Southern Nevada also has three donation centers, two in Las Vegas and one in Henderson. Anyone wishing to schedule an appointment at a mobile blood drive or donation center may do so by logging onto vitalant.org, via the Vitalant app, or by calling 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.