Red Cross asks for donations amid ‘severe’ blood shortages

With comparatively excellent weather and a flu season that has not yet raged as fiercely as it has in many other places, San Diego County has an opportunity to step up big and help solve a blood shortage that has plagued communities nationwide.

This week, the American Red Cross called for increased donations from coast to coast, declaring a “severe blood shortage after the national blood supply fell about 35% over the past month.” Following its parent organization’s lead, the nonprofit’s San Diego chapter is urging the public to schedule donation appointments in a dozen cities across San Diego County.

“High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidlining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild vital blood inventories to help patients and relieve pressure on hospitals,” a Red Cross statement said. “The shortage is especially serious for types O, A negative and B negative.

“Without immediate action, patients who rely on transfusions — including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth, and people with sickle celll disease or cancer — face serious risk.”

Factors at work in other places have just not been as severe here.

While rising, just 2.7% of local emergency visits showed flu symptoms compared to 5.3% nationwide, according to the most recent Read Entire Article