Blood services providers are reporting an ongoing shortage in the region, and are attempting to convince more local residents to donate blood to make up the difference.

We hope this message reaches county residents, especially younger people, and they heed the call.

The need for younger generations to step up to donate blood stems from the fact that the largest, and most consistent, group of blood donors, baby boomers, are going from being donors to blood users.

Kristen Lane, of Vitalant for Western Pennsylvania, said that Generation Z and millennials are, so far, not as dedicated in giving blood as those who came before them.

On the one hand, it’s likely been more difficult to draw blood donors during a worldwide pandemic that has stretched on for more than a year.

COVID-19 has likely brought blood drives at places, such as high school or college campuses, that might find success in convincing younger people to donate to a halt.

On the other hand, it’s likely that donated blood is needed now more than ever after more than a year of a major health crisis.

As Lane pointed out to the Eagle in a story last weekend on the blood shortage, a donation can go a very long way.

Once blood is donated, it is split into three components: plasma, red blood cells and platelets.

Plasma often goes to people with chronic illnesses who need frequent blood transfusions or to burn victims, while platelets go to people being treated for cancer.

Red blood cells go to trauma victims, such as someone who has been in a vehicle accident.

In other words, a blood donation can go toward saving as many as three lives.

Lane said that many young people believe that donating is merely a “procedure,” and don’t recognize that a donation can be used quickly in an emergency situation and, in the process, save someone’s life.

Hospital and medical staff have been heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic, saving countless lives in the face of great adversity.

But everyone in the county can also be heroes and save lives by donating blood.

We hope that blood service providers get the message out, and that it gets a great response.

Among the places to do so are any of Vitalant’s blood donation centers and the center at Butler Health System’s Crossroads campus.

— NCD