Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is in urgent need of blood donations. The holidays are traditionally a difficult time for blood banks and the shortage has intensified in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has halted community blood drives at schools and other locations. The American Red Cross and other blood suppliers are struggling to restore their inventories in the wake of serious shortages experienced over the past year.

A single blood donation, which takes roughly 10 minutes to collect, can help save the lives of up to two individuals suffering from many health conditions, including traumatic injury, cancer, blood disorders and heart conditions. As one of the few level one trauma centers in Los Angeles, Cedars-Sinai gives patients transfusions of more than 30,000 units of red blood cells, 7,000 units of platelets and 11,000 units of plasma every year.

People are encouraged to donate blood and platelets for patients at Cedars-Sinai to help ease the strain on the national blood supply. Cedars-Sinai takes strict precautions to keep donors safe and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Physical distancing and masks are required at all times when donating blood. All donors are prescreened for COVID-19 symptoms.

Blood Donor Services is located in the medical center’s South Tower, Room 1690, 8700 Beverly Blvd. Donation hours are 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday, Thursday and Friday; 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday; 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Saturday.

To schedule a donation, call Cedars-Sinai Blood Donor Services at (310)423- 4170, or email blooddonorservices@cshs.org.