CHICAGO () — The American Red Cross is warning that the nation’s blood supply has fallen to crisis levels, creating an urgent need for donors.
The shortage is especially severe for Type O blood, with less than a one-day supply currently available.
It marks only the second time the American Red Cross has declared a blood donation crisis.
The organization pointed to several factors behind the drop in donations, including illness and poor air quality.
Mara Thompson of the American Red Cross joined ABC7 to discuss what the crisis declaration means for hospitals, patients and potential donors.
The summer months are often among the most difficult periods for blood collection, as donations typically slow during the season.
Emily Alanis, who spent eight years working for the Red Cross and helping coordinate blood drives, later found herself relying on donated blood when she needed an emergency transfusion just weeks before giving birth to her son, Elliot.
Alanis said doctors moved quickly after she arrived for a routine check-up.
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“Your platelet count has severely dropped and we’re calling in specialists to see what we have to do,” Alanis recalled.
And two days after he was born, Elliot also needed a transfusion.
“My antibodies had transferred to him and they started biting his blood; so he needed two transfusions of platelets,” Alanis said.
Alanis says she’s thankful there was enough blood available to help the two of them at that crucial time.
The blood supply has fallen nearly 25 percent in June, and blood donations are at a four-year summer low.
Thompson says the alarm was first sounded a couple of weeks ago.
“A critical stage means that right now we are seeing less than a one day supply of some blood types,” she said.
The Red Cross has begun limiting distributions of “O” blood to some hospitals, which means doctors may soon have to make decisions about who gets immediate care.
Only 3 percent of people in the U.S. donate blood for the rest of the country, and Thompson says if even more people rolled up their sleeves, that could help.
“If we just have three more people at the drives this month donating blood, that would get us out of this critical need and out of this crisis,” Thompson said.
To find a blood drive near you, or to schedule an appointment visit redcrossblood.org.
