By Mike Finney

DOVER — With the end of summer drawing near and schools preparing to reopen, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put a strain on Delmarva’s blood supply.

The Blood Bank of Delmarva on Monday announced a blood emergency, with a 3.7-day overall blood supply. That includes just a 0.7-day supply for type O negative blood and 2.3 days for type O positive blood.

Ideally, BBD would have a seven-day supply of all types daily.

Patty Killeen, senior executive director of BBD, said it is important for the organization to bolster reserves now because it is still scrambling to make up for the deficit caused by most college and high school blood drives being wiped out by the pandemic.

Those events usually account for 25% of the blood collected daily, and there are few signs that indicate shortages will ease anytime soon.

“The current numbers are indicative of how tough it’s been locally as well as nationally,” Ms. Killeen said in a press release. “Summer makes it even harder to collect blood as people are vacationing or traveling, so we are asking people to give blood now as the school year approaches.”

BBD has implemented new strategies to recruit young donors. That includes the successful Blood for a Brew Summer Tour initiative, sponsored by TD Bank and held in partnership with local businesses Two Stones Pub, Revelation Craft Brewing Co., Big Oyster Brewery, Tall Tales Brewing Co., Camp Adventureland, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Crooked Hammock Brewery.

Sarah Bridge was among those who rolled up her sleeve to give blood at Crooked Hammock in Middletown.

“I donate blood because I love the impact that this small act can have on my community,” she said. “Blood donations save lives, and I’m proud to donate in order to help someone else.”

According to Marie Forrestal, director of donor recruitment, a temporary lease with Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth Beach has been another way BBD worked to increase the number of young donors, using a “meeting donors where they are” strategy. The pop-up center at the beach opened in May and will last through October.

In addition, BBD has encouraged younger donors to give blood at its stationary facilities in Christiana; Dover; Dagsboro; Salisbury, Maryland; and Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.

Among those answering the call in Christiana were Stephanie Forbes, a teacher for the Delaware Autism Program in the Christina School District, and Kelsey Padilla, a student at the University of Delaware.

“I first started donating in high school, and I just continued to do it because I knew that there was always a need for blood,” Ms. Padilla said. “If I could give it, why would I not? Don’t be scared. It’s not that hard. I feel like I have done my good deed for the day in helping people. I’m in a sorority at UD, so this has been my service to the community.”

Ms. Forbes, who first donated at the University of Pittsburgh, has continued to give back to the community now that she’s an educator in Delaware.

“I think a lot of people are scared of donating and that it’s going to hurt. But I have never had a bad experience; it’s always been very easy,” she said. “And I especially love coming here. It’s very relaxing. It’s not a stressful process.”

Donors like Ms. Bridge, Ms. Forbes and Ms. Padilla allow BBD to keep 19 hospitals in Delmarva stocked with the blood products they need to perform surgeries and treatments and to help patients in times of emergencies and traumas.

BBD relies on the kindness of donors to meet its mission, as blood cannot be manufactured outside the human body. The problem is that while 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood — already a fraction of the general population — just 3% of that group actually donate, according to the press release.

BBD officials say that donating blood is safe and added that they have taken extra precaution 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 flulike symptoms.

They added that it usually only takes one hour to give whole blood. But, given the national hiring shortage that BBD is not immune to, wait times may be extended during the blood emergency.