Red Cross Says Blood Shortage Is Worst in a Decade
FRIDAY, Feb. 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The American Red Cross is pleading for donors as it grapples with its worst blood shortage in more than a decade.
The organization supplies 40 percent of the nation's blood supply, but has had to limit blood product distributions to hospitals, and some hospitals may not receive one in four blood products they need.
The agency cited a number of factors behind the blood shortage crisis. There has been a 10 percent decrease in overall blood donations since March 2020 and a 62 percent drop in college and high school blood drives due to the pandemic. Student donors accounted for about 25 percent of donors in 2019, but for just 10 percent during the pandemic. Not only that, but there are ongoing blood drive cancellations due to illness, weather-related closures, and staffing shortages. Other factors include a surge of COVID-19 cases and an active flu season, according to the organization.
"At a time when many businesses and organizations across the country are experiencing pandemic challenges, the Red Cross is no different," the agency said. "We are all learning how to live in this new environment, how we spend our time, where we work, how we give back, how we make a difference in the lives of others -- donating blood must continue to be part of it."
Related Posts
Improvement Seen in Reproductive Hormone Levels With Keto Diet in PCOS
THURSDAY, Sept. 14, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- For women with polycystic ovary...
U.S. Monkeypox Cases Now at 21, Two Strains Identified
FRIDAY, June 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The number of known U.S. monkeypox...
Martin Shkreli, el ‘Pharma Bro’, vuelve a tener problemas por formar una nueva compañía farmacéutica
LUNES, 23 de enero de 2023 (HealthDay News) -- El "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli...
Se emiten menos recetas de opioides en EE.UU.
JUEVES, 11 de agosto de 2022 (HealthDay News) -- En Estados Unidos hay una...