The American Red Cross said it has an emergency blood shortage and is asking for donors to give now.
According to the Red Cross, the blood supply fell nearly 25% in June. The shortage is especially serious for types O positive and B negative blood.
Officials say Red Cross distributions to hospitals are nearly 3,500 units higher per week than expected, and hospitals are seeing higher demand for blood products because we're in the height of trauma season.
Donors can book an appointment using the Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-733-2767.
“A readily available blood supply serves as the backbone of modern medicine. Without it, lifesaving treatments and critical access points to care are not possible,” said Dr. Courtney Lawrence, the medical director for the Red Cross. “Emergency departments, operating rooms, and labor and delivery units can't support patients with the most urgent needs, and cancer patients must wait. We’re asking donors to give now before doctors are forced to make those difficult decisions.”
