Atlas Park blood drive aims to replenish city’s depleted reservoir

The New York Blood Center is running a blood drive at Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale Friday. Photo via U.S. Defense Department

By David Brand

A blood drive Friday at Glendale’s Atlas Park mall is the latest effort by the New York Blood Center to replenish the city’s depleted emergency reservoir.

The drive takes place at the Shops at Atlas Park from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. NYBC intends to collect blood from 50 people. Previous blood drives at the Shops at Atlas Park have collected 722 donations so far this year.

Blood donation centers have remained opened throughout the COVID-19 crisis, but social distancing orders and the perceived risk of contraction have prevented many New Yorkers from giving blood. The number of blood drives citywide have decreased by two-thirds this year, according to NYBC.

 The organization says staff are taking “extra precautions to help prevent the person-to-person spread of COVID-19.” 

“As always, people are not eligible to donate if they’re experiencing a cold, sore throat, respiratory infection or flu-like symptoms,” NYBC said. 

A fresh supply is always needed: Red blood cells have a shelf life of 42 days and platelets only five, according to a joint letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Infection from the American Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers in March.

Friday’s blood drive takes place from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 8000 Cooper Avenue in Glendale.

 Additional information on donor eligibility and COVID-19 precautions is available on the NYBC website.