For the first time in its history, the American Red Cross has announced what it is calling a national blood crisis.
In a joint statement this week with America’s Blood Centers and the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies, the organization said, “If the nation’s blood supply doesn’t stabilize soon, lifesaving blood may not be available for some patients when it is needed.”
In the past few weeks, the Red Cross, which supplies approximately 40 percent of the nation’s blood, has had to limit blood distributions to hospitals.
In 2021, Red Cross officials said, they saw new donor turnouts decline by more than one-third.
The crisis has forced doctors to make difficult choices about who is able to receive blood transfusions.
The shortage is largely the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to the closure of many schools and colleges, where many blood drives take place.
Other causes include the recent bitter cold weather and staffing limitations.
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