The Magen David Adom (MDA) blood bank has issued a call for blood donors in the general public – in particular, those with Type O blood – due to a drop in the blood bank supply in Israel.
Type O negative is the most common blood type used for transfusions when the blood type is unknown. This is why it is in cases of trauma, emergency, surgery and any situation where blood type is unknown, according to the American Red Cross website.
Type O negative is the universal blood type. However, someone with Type O negative blood can only receive Type O negative blood.
One of the reasons for the shortage is the decline in the availability of sites where blood donations can be collected during the “coronavirus time.”
Anyone who feels well, meets the Health Ministry blood donor metrics and who can document at least 28 days since their exposure to a verified coronavirus patient, or from the time of recovery from COVID-19, is eligible to be a blood donor, MDA says.