The American Red Cross has declared its second-ever national blood supply crisis as levels drop to ‘alarmingly’ low levels.
The organization declared the urgent crisis Tuesday, warning its blood supplies had fallen 25 percent within the last month.
The nonprofit, America’s largest blood supplier, said it now had less than a day’s supply of type O blood, the most common, forcing it to limit supplies to hospitals and leaving some patients waiting for critical blood transfusions.
It has urged people to donate blood to ensure that lifesaving medical treatments and procedures can proceed without delay.
Summer is one of the most challenging times for blood donations because of vacations, extreme heat and the loss of school blood drives that can lead to fewer donations.
This year, three ‘heat domes’ have set in over parts of the US in late June and July, sending daytime temperatures soaring above 90F (32C). The third ‘heat dome’ is expected to hit southern and central states this week, pushing temperatures to 105F (40C).
Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said: ‘This summer, blood donations simply are not keeping pace with hospital demand, and inventories — especially type O blood — remain under significant strain.
‘Every donation has the potential to help save lives, and we urgently need everyone who is eligible to make an appointment to give blood as soon as possible.’
The Red Cross said donations ‘are still not keeping pace with hospital demand,’ warning that some patients are already facing delays for the blood they desperately need
The blood crisis also comes amid trauma season, or the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day when the need for blood to treat traumatic injuries increases.
Currently, Red Cross blood distributions to hospitals are nearly 3,500 units higher per week than expected.
The organization said it had been recording a drop in donations since May.
The first ever blood crisis was declared in January 2022, which was tied to disruptions in donations due to the Covid pandemic.
Patients facing the most critical, life-threatening emergencies, including accident victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease, could be most severely affected.
Type O blood accounts for about 60 percent of Red Cross blood distributions because it is critical for both everyday patient care and emergencies.
Around 37 to 38 percent of Americans have type O blood – with O-positive making up the majority.
But the Red Cross is calling for donations of all blood types to maintain supplies: A, B and AB are all needed to maintain a strong national supply.
While type O is the most requested by hospitals, having an adequate supply of other types ensures that patients can receive blood that matches their blood type whenever possible.
Now, with type O positive inventories hovering below a single day, emergency rooms face the terrifying prospect of not having enough on the shelf when the next multi-vehicle pile-up or summer shooting arrives.
Instead of fulfilling hospital orders in full, the Red Cross is now deciding how much type O blood each hospital receives based on the most urgent, life-threatening emergencies.
That means hospitals are being forced to prioritize which patients get blood and which must wait.
Trauma victims, hemorrhaging mothers and emergency surgery patients are being prioritized, while scheduled heart bypasses, organ transplants and routine cancer treatments face potential delays.
With type O blood in critically short supply, these patients are among the most vulnerable to rationing.
Blood transfusions are the backbone of treatment for leukemia patients, bone marrow transplant recipients, and those undergoing aggressive chemotherapy, all of whom rely on platelet and red cell transfusions just to stay alive from one week to the next.
The Red Cross is calling on Americans to book an appointment at their nearest donation center and help save lives.
People can make appointments by visiting redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-733-2767. Anyone who donates blood will receive a Fandango Movie Ticket.
Just three more donors at each blood drive this summer could end the crisis and stabilize the national supply, the organization says.
‘Every donation has the potential to help save lives, and we urgently need everyone who is eligible to make an appointment to give blood as soon as possible,’ Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said in a statement.
The requirements for donating are simple: donors must be in good health, be at least 16 years old in most states and weigh at least 110 pounds. Those who qualify can donate every 56 days – up to six times a year.
