(NAFB) Following weeks of declining blood donations, the United States Surgeon General warned the nation that the blood supply has fallen far below the level needed to meet demand, and it continues to decline at an alarming rate.
The situation is so dire that for only the second time ever, the American Red Cross has declared a National Blood Supply Crisis. Abbie Arneson with LifeServe Blood Center says blood donations are urgently needed, and they’re needed immediately.
Arneson says all it takes is one event, and the blood supply could literally be gone.
Arneson says this type of shortage negatively affects patient care.
Whether you live in a rural area, a metro area, or somewhere in between, Arneson urges everyone to reach out to their local blood collection entity to make an appointment as soon as possible. She also encourages people to reach out if you aren’t certain whether you’re eligible to donate or if you have been disqualified for one reason or another in the past. Through knowledge gained from medical research and advances in technology, many things that had previously made a person ineligible will no longer disqualify a person from donating blood.
