The COVID-19 outbreak has canceled more than 4,500 American Red Cross blood drives as of March 18, resulting in nearly 150,000 fewer blood donations than expected. That loss means the nation is facing what the organization called “a severe blood shortage.”
patients generally don’t need transfusions. But people in emergency situations often do, and thanks to the pandemic, there may not be enough blood available.
More than 4,500 American Red Cross blood drives had been canceled as of March 18 due to public health warnings against gatherings, reported. As a result, the Red Cross has received nearly 150,000 fewer blood donations than expected. Donated blood has a shelf life of just 42 days, so stocks have to be refilled constantly. With the loss of all those donations, the nation is facing what the organization called “a severe blood shortage.”
“I am looking at the refrigerator that contains only one day’s supply of blood for the hospital,” said Robertson Davenport, MD, director of transfusion medicine at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. “The hospital is full. There are patients who need blood and cannot wait.” More than 80% of the blood the Red Cross collects comes from blood drives, so it is urging healthy Americans to make appointments to give blood by visiting
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