Saying it is the worst blood shortage they’ve seen in over a decade, the American Red Cross says there is a national blood crisis. There has recently been less than a one-day supply of critical blood types and has had to limit blood product distributions to hospitals, and at times, as much as one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met.
Red Cross spokesman Joe Zydlo says it’s a dire situation.
“Usually this time of the year, we will have a conversation with emergency needs for all blood types, this is actually worse than that. What an emergency need means is that we have a less than a day supply. When we are talking national blood crisis, probably less than a half day supply and that is not good. That demand is really high and far out wing for the supply that we have and that is why hospitals have to make these decisions because they are not getting the full assortment of blood products they need.”
Anyone that donates before January 31 will be eligible for a chance to experience the Super Bowl live. You can donate at any of a number of blood drives coming up this month. You can find out where to give blood at www.redcrossblood.org.
***Report Courtesy of farmweeknow.com***
