Residents of Orlando lining up to donate blood for Florida shooting victims

 

US: After the deadliest mass shooting in the history of America which saw at least 50 people killed and 53 wounded, residents of Orlando in Florida were lining up outside blood banks to donate blood in the wake of the shooting at a gay nightclub on Sunday. A local blood bank said its website crashed because of the massive response.

The Orlando Regional Medical Center urged people on social media to donate blood at a local blood bank. The call was answered by many people who trooped in en-mass to donate.

A local news reporter described a blood bank as “overloaded” with people wanting to help.

At another location, people willing to donate blood overflowed into the streets.

More than 600 people were lined up to donate, at another location according to reports.

The blood bank said they urgently needed O+ and O- blood and AB plasma. However, they said all blood types could help.

However, gay men are not allowed to donate blood and if they are to donate they must be celibate for at least a year to donate.