During the past 18 months, social distancing, masking and staying home have had some good and not-so-good consequences.

The good is that we now have several vaccines available to protect us against COVID-19, and more than two million people in Connecticut have been fully vaccinated.

The not-so-good is that people postponed receiving important medical care, including treatment for chronic diseases and surgeries that were not emergent.

Coupled with social distancing, people have also avoided donating blood, leading to another not-so-good outcome: a shortage of lifesaving blood. Blood transfusions are vital in treating certain medical conditions that can result in a low blood count: cancer treatments, childbirth, blood cell disorders, trauma and other illnesses. Especially along the coast, summer time can also bring an increase in traumas related to outdoor activities such as boating, biking and car accidents.

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital transfuses between 10 and 12 units of blood every day, treating approximately 120-140 patients each month.

Maintaining an adequate supply of blood is critically important, and we need your help in this important endeavor.

For now, our hospital supplies are adequate — L+M's blood bank keeps a close eye on our inventory, especially for type O+ blood, the most common blood type, but blood has an expiration date, so we are always in need of more donations. One unit of donated blood provides not only red blood cells, but also platelets and plasma, all of which are potentially life-saving when you need them.

As post-pandemic activities resume, let us not make a shortage of blood another pandemic statistic. Please, visit www.redcross.org/give-blood or call 800-733-2767 (1-800-RED-CROSS) to find a donation site near you.  It takes less than 30 minutes to give a pint of blood.

Donating blood is a meaningful way to contribute to and sustain the health of our community. Every blood donor is a life saver. Be a hero, save a life.

Oliver Mayorga, MD, is chief medical officer and Victoria Reyes, MD, is chair of pathology at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and Westerly Hospital.