Red Cross Needs Blood Donations Now

(Undated) — Despite efforts to rebuild the national blood supply, the inventory has continued to drop at an alarming rate. According to the American Red Cross, scheduled donations, which account for 90% of all blood donations, have dropped sharply in recent weeks. As a result, the blood supply has fallen, raising concerns that the decline could worsen. They say the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day brings an increase in severe injuries from car accidents, ATV crashes, sports-related injuries, and other summer activities. In fact, AAA reports that fatal crashes involving teen drivers rise by 30% during this time, often called the “100 deadliest days.” They say a single person injured in a serious car accident can require up to 100 units of blood. The Red Cross says while blood and platelet donations for all blood types are needed, just 7% of the U.S. population has Type-O Negative blood, which can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what hospital staff reaches for during emergencies when there isn’t time to determine a patient’s blood type. Find more information and schedule your donation appointment by visiting redcrossblood.org.