The New York Blood Center announced an emergency that blood inventory has dropped, and the news comes as the country braces for the impact of the omicron COVID-19 variant. 

The New York Blood Center says its blood inventory in our region has dropped from five to seven days' worth of supply to just one to two days. 

The center is now pleading with New Yorkers to donate. “Please come and support. We need every person that can come to support a blood drive. We just don’t have enough to support area hospitals,” said account manager Javier Jiminez. 

The center tells News 12 the shortages have been caused by multiple factors. They tell News 12 that cancellations are already rolling in from both individual donors and organizations hosting scheduled blood drives amid omicron concerns.

Most high schools and colleges have not returned to hosting blood drives, which had made up 25% of New York Blood Center’s donations.