Dozens of hospitals and trauma centers across the country say they’re in dire need of blood donations after what the American Red Cross is now calling a nationwide blood crisis.
The Red Cross said in a statement this week that the dangerously low blood supply levels are posing a concerning risk to patient care, resulting in medical staff making difficult decisions on who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more blood is readily available.
In recent weeks, the Red Cross — which provides nearly 40% of the nation’s blood — said it had less than a one-day supply of critical blood types and has had to limit blood product distributions to hospitals.
The organization says that at times, up to one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met. Additionally, the pandemic has also contributed to a 62% drop in blood drives at schools and colleges.
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