The American Red Cross is sounding an alarm about a dangerously low blood supply across the country made worse by the pandemic.
Holly Baker of the Red Cross said the situation is so dire "doctors are having to make tough decisions about who gets blood and who has to wait."In some cases, they have had less than a one-day supply of critical blood types, especially Type O.
The pandemic is partly to blame for what the Red Cross says is a 10% overall decline in the number of people donating blood."Winter weather across the country and the recent surge of COVID-19 cases are compounding the already-dire situation facing the blood supply," said Dr. Baia Lasky, medical director for the Red Cross.Baker said the Red Cross donation centers follow "the highest standards of safety and infection control.
January is National Blood Donor Month and as an added incentive, those who give blood are automatically entered into a contest to win a getaway to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. Anyone who donates will also be automatically entered to win a home theater package and a $500 e-gift card.
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