There have been many stories on the U.S. government shutdown and its effect on workers, research, and even people’s vacations. (If you’re visiting here, forget about seeing Alcatraz or Muir Woods.) But there’s one thing you might not have thought the closure would impact: blood.
The Stanford Blood Center - which provides blood products to seven Bay Area hospitals - announced today that the shutdown forced them to cancel a blood drive at the federally funded NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif. The drive was expected to collect 75 units of whole blood, and now local supply is being affected.
The center notes on its site that they have an urgent need for 0-negative blood. If you’re in the area and interested in donating, you can make an appointment here.
