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Joe Zydlo, external communications manager for the American Red Cross, says the blood supply is stable amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve had unbelievably overwhelming support. People are going to donate at donor center or the few blood drives we have been able to hold,” Zydlo said.

He said many blood drives for March and April were canceled because of stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders. From mid-March to the end of the month, 15,000 blood drives were canceled. A lot of schools and universities had planned spring blood drives, so they had to be canceled when schools were closed. Between 18% and 20% of blood drives are at schools and universities.

Zydlo explained this could have devastated the blood supply, but at the same time, many elective surgeries were eliminated. Surgeries like joint replacement require blood to perform. People also are traveling less, resulting in fewer car accidents. While car accidents and other trauma make some surgeries necessary, the reduction has helped stabilize the blood supply.

“In addition to going to get groceries or to the pharmacy, donating blood was deemed an essential thing. It gives people a chance to get out and do something to help,” Zydlo said.