The number of people donating blood during the coronavirus pandemic has slowed down - but the need for blood has not.

Blood centers including Vitalant are struggling to maintain inventory to avoid a critical blood shortage.

Vitalant officials say 25% of their anticipated blood collection - thousands of expected donations - in March has disappeared.

Vitalant says every donor that enters their facility has their temperature taken, seats are sanitized and everything that has been touched is cleaned between donors.

Officials also note that coronavirus is also not passed on through blood, so there should not be any issue with donations.

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