Delmarva Blood Bank declaring first blood emergency of the year

DELMARVA – The need for blood is a constant but the supply is not.

This comes as the Blood Bank of Delmarva declares the first blood emergency of 2023.

They say this is due to many things, such as the time of year, during the cold months people donating blood is usually slow. Officials say only 62% of the population is eligible to donate, however only 3% actually roll up their sleeves.

We spoke with the blood bank who says they need your help. “You can bring a friend we’ve seen that. Some people are a little squeamish around needles and they bring a friend and it helps them get through the process. That’s great, you can also organize a community blood drive. Our community blood drives, whether it’s businesses, schools, or places of worship those are actually down 38%,” says Tony Prado, the Communication Specialist for the Blood Bank of Delmarva.

Tony Prado says last year they declared the blood drive 5 times, but if you are ready to donate blood, you can get more information by visiting their website.