Thursday, July 30, 2026

American Red Cross Declares Second-Ever National Blood Supply Crisis

 Voluntary donation of whole blood in the US has provided adequate supply for many years, but since Covid it has sometimes come close to a shortage, and now we have a second declared shortage.  This contrasts with blood plasma, which  includes supply from paid donors.

American Red Cross Declares Second-Ever National Blood Supply Crisis, Urges Immediate Blood Donations 

I think the graphic is meant to show that the US is running near empty on blood (not that the shortage is only in Southern states...) 

 

 "The American Red Cross has declared only the second national blood supply crisis in its history after blood donations fell to a four-year summer low, deepening an emergency shortage that threatens the availability of lifesaving blood for patients across the country.

Despite thousands of people answering the call to give, blood donations are not keeping pace with hospital demand — which is up during the summer trauma season. Extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread foodborne illnesses are contributing to lower donor turnout this summer, further straining the nation’s blood supply.

As the nation's largest single provider of blood products, the Red Cross now has less than a one-day national supply of type O positive blood — the most commonly transfused blood type. To help ensure blood is available for patients facing the most critical, life-threatening emergencies across the country, the Red Cross has begun limiting distributions of type O blood to individual hospitals."

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