American Red Cross declares national blood shortage
WCAX
The American Red Cross is asking Americans to roll up their sleeves.
The nonprofit organization that supplies about 40% of U.S. blood and blood components is facing a shortage.
The Red Cross says distribution to hospitals and medical centers is far outpacing donations being made.
Supply levels have fallen nearly 25% since early August because of a drop in donations and back-to-back months of climate-driven disasters.
Emergency supplies of donated blood are described as “critically low.”
The Red Cross needs to collect about 12,500 donations each day to meet patients’ needs.