On April 29, Hall High School will host its annual Spring blood drive. Students and faculty will be able to donate blood to give back to the community. Associated with the Red Cross, the National Honors Society (NHS) is looking to collect 50 units of blood. 

Hall hosts two blood drives a year – one in the Fall, and one in the Spring. “It looks like we’ll have a full schedule,” says Mark Summa, a science teacher at Hall High School. “Usually every year, we get between 70-100 units of blood that we are able to donate.” 

The NHS officers publicize and provide information about the event, preparing students to donate. “We spread awareness to donate blood through posters and word of mouth. We have our NHS officers recruit people to donate,” explains Miranda Scully, the tutor co-chair of the NHS.  

With the surge in Covid-19 cases, there have been less donors, and donation centers, than ever before. Cameron Costa, a student at Hall High School, donates blood “because it’s important during crises like Covid-19, when hospitals are overwhelmed and blood banks are in dire need. It’s an easy way to help the hospitals to do my part.” In addition, Dr. Robert DeSimone mentions that “It is also a way to feel that you have

positively helped during the COVID-19 crisis.” 

The United States is in the midst of the worst national blood shortage in the past decade. “Doctors have been forced to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available,” says the Red Cross. Elective surgeries, like tumor removals and hernia repairs, are being canceled because of the lack of blood donated since hospitals need to save their resources for emergent surgeries. 

Hall accepts all blood types, and students can donate in 45-minute sessions. There are snacks and juice provided after donations to help increase the student’s blood sugar levels.

For more information look for the posters that are located in Hall and, go to redcrossblood.org.