Chandigarh, May 4 (IANS): A total of fifteen Minerva Academy staff voluntarily donated blood to the blood bank society here as the sector faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations amid the nationwide lockdown owing to COVID-19 pandemic.

As per a statement from the academy, a total of 15 staff members of Minerva Academy donated blood exercising social distancing and other essential hygiene practices.

"Blood donation is amongst the highest contributions rendered towards humanity, and in difficult times like this we will engage and try to serve the society in whatever ways possible. We hope that by contributing to a cause like this, we can really make a difference, no matter how small, especially when our local blood bank is facing a shortage of blood reserved," Ranjit Bajaj, owner, Minerva Academy, said in the statement.

"We are all aware that the coronavirus pandemic is interrupting blood donation drives and the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) has issued recommendations emphasizing that voluntary blood donation and blood collection should continue judiciously even during the health crisis in order to ensure its availability. We made sure that every staff member strictly followed the guidelines issued in public interest during this lockdown and social distancing was maintained during the blood donation process."