A call for blood donations is being made in San Antonio and along the border. The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has seen a greater than usual summer decline in donors.
Center spokeswoman Julie Vera says there are several factors for the drop – the main one being the Zika virus. People who've traveled south of the border are restricted from donating blood for 28 days. She says there have also been a large number of organ transplants recently.
And Vera says they responded to the call from Orlando on Sunday morning and sent some units to help victims of the night club shooting. The network of blood centers help each other when there’s a need.
"A couple of weeks ago when there was a real rash of trauma victims here is San Antonio, we had to do the same," she says. "We had to put out the call for help because we did not have available units on our shelves and we had to import blood from other centers across the country."
All blood types are needed. You can find a location to donate at SouthTexasBlood.org.
