Concerns over the new coronavirus is severely impacting the U.S. blood supply as Vitalant and other blood centers across the country are struggling to maintain stable inventories and avoid a critical blood shortage, according to a release.

With school closures and business shutdowns, 25% of Vitalant’s blood collections anticipated in March have disappeared — almost overnight. And that number continues to grow, the release states.

"We need people to start turning out in force to give blood,” stated Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the agency that regulates all U.S. blood centers. “We need it not to get to the point that surgeries are having to get canceled.”

Healthy people are strongly encourage to make an appointment by calling 877-258-4825 or going online. Vitalant has nearly 125 donation centers across the country, with six throughout the metro-Phoenix area:

• Chandler Donor Center: 1989 W. Elliot Rd., #33 (Elliot & Dobson)
• Glendale Donor Center: 18583 N. 59th Ave., #113 (59th Ave. & Union Hills)
• Goodyear Donor Center: 14270 W. Indian School Rd., #C-8 (Indian School & Litchfield)
• Mesa Donor Center: 1337 S. Gilbert Rd., #101 (Gilbert & Hampton)
• Phoenix Donor Center: 5757 N. Black Canyon Hwy. (Bethany Home Rd. & I-17)
• Scottsdale Donor Center: 15170 N. Hayden Rd., #6 (Hayden & 83rd Pl.)

While guidance from government entities recommend that people avoid gatherings, officials state blood drives are not gatherings but blood donation operations that are an “essential health care activity."

“It is safe to donate blood,” said the U.S. government’s leader on COVID-19 testing, Admiral Brett P. Giroir, M.D., Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Healthy individuals should schedule an appointment to donate today to ensure that blood is available for those patients who need it.”

Sick people should not donate blood; blood centers do not test for the coronavirus. Blood centers have always required individuals to be in good health to donate, and the blood collection process follows policies established by the FDA to ensure the health and safety of donors and patients. Vitalant staff follow rigorous safety and disinfection protocols at its blood drives and donation centers. Giving blood has no impact on the donor's immune system, according to the release.

Currently, all blood types and components are needed, with a critical need for platelets and type O blood donations. Platelets have a very short shelf life — only five days. Type O-negative blood is the universal blood type: ER doctors reach for it first to help stabilize patients before their blood type is known.