Blood, Platelet Donations Needed During Holiday Season

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's that time of the year when people take breaks from school and work and when blood and platelet donation levels become vulnerable.

LISTEN:WCBS 880's Monica Miller reports

Rob Purvis from the New York Blood Center says a half a million blood donations are needed across the Tri-State area each year.

"Most people who donate blood donate at either school or the work place, so primarily what happens is that there's just less people donating blood," he said.

Red blood cells only have a shelf life of 42 days and platelets only five days.

"So there's a constant need for replenishing the blood supply, continuing to bring inventory in so that it's available for the hospitals and patients," said Purvis.

For more information about donating, click here.

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