All articles tagged with #blood supply
The American Red Cross has declared the second national blood supply crisis in its history after donations plummeted to a four-year summer low, leaving less than a one-day national supply of Type O blood and risking surgeries and maternity care; donors are urged to give immediately, with July movie-ticket vouchers and August $20 Amazon gift cards as incentives, while hospitals pre-schedule needs to stabilize distribution.
The American Red Cross declared a national blood supply crisis—the second in its history—as donations fell to a four-year summer low. While summer typically brings shortages due to vacations and higher injury risk, extreme heat, poor air quality and the spread of foodborne illnesses further reduced donor turnout, leaving less than a one-day supply of O-positive blood and prompting limited distributions to hospitals; the organization urged eligible donors to book appointments.
The American Red Cross and health officials warn that the U.S. blood supply is at crisis levels, with less than a one-day stock of type O positive blood and restricted distribution to hospitals as summer demand rises; donations have fallen to a four-year low due to heat, poor air quality, and illnesses, prompting urgent calls for eligible people to donate.
The American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis for the second time in its history, with dangerously low inventories of blood and platelets—especially type O-positive—forcing limited distributions and prompting an urgent appeal for all eligible Americans to donate as soon as possible amid summer demand and turnout challenges.
The American Red Cross has declared a nationwide emergency blood shortage, with a 20-year low in donors and a loss of 300,000 donors since the COVID-19 pandemic. The shortage could lead to hospitals making difficult decisions about prioritizing patients for blood transfusions, potentially impacting surgeries and patient care. The organization is urging people to donate, particularly Type O blood and platelets needed for cancer and trauma patients, and individuals interested in donating can schedule an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org.
Babesiosis, a tickborne disease, has become significantly more prevalent in the Northeast in recent years, with case rates growing the fastest in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Reported cases of babesiosis have increased in all but two of the 10 states where it is endemic. The disease is transmissible through blood transfusion, posing risks to the blood supply. Symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, and headache. The CDC recommends tick bite prevention for those spending time outdoors in states with endemic babesiosis.