10/13/2023 0 Comments American red cross blood drive![]() “Despite some loosening of these restrictions in various parts of the country, the repeated surges of COVID-19 disease related to the variants have continued to depress donations. Wagers said that one of the major reasons blood collection centers have been unable to keep up with the demand is that “many of the ways in which people used to give blood, such as through community blood drives or pop-up sites at large gatherings, have been curtailed or canceled” due to continued COVID-19-related restrictions. ![]() “As these surgeries resumed, blood collection centers were unable to keep up with the demand.”ĭr. “During the initial phase of the pandemic in the U.S., the blood supply decreased, but our use decreased concurrently as elective and nonurgent surgeries were canceled across the country,” Suzanne Arinsburg, DO, director of the Blood Bank and Transfusion Services for Mount Sinai Hospital told MNT. How did COVID-19 affect the blood supply? He cautioned, however, that while normal operations at Children’s Minnesota have not been impacted, “healthcare systems cant sustain low blood supply forever.” We are also being more mindful of our product usage.” Our supplier has asked us to keep approximately 20% less blood on hand due to the nationwide shortage. “Thankfully, at Children’s Minnesota, we have not been impacted by the nationwide blood shortage. Bryan Schmitt, DO, medical director of Children’s Minnesota Lab and Pathology department, told Medical News Today: However, not everyone has been equally affected by the nationwide blood shortage. While the average red blood cell transfusion is around three units, a car accident victim may require as many as 100 units of blood. The American Red Cross estimates that 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed daily in the U.S. One unit of blood is equal to 500 milliliters. We need everyone who can donate as often as is safe for them to do so.” You can see that just for one patient, it may take many, many donors to meet that need. “It is not unheard of for one patient to use as many as tens of units of blood, especially in a trauma patient. Brian Wagers, associate chief medical officer and emergency medicine physician at the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, IN, told MNT: ![]() “Right now, we need as much blood as possible,” Dr. She told Medical News Today, “Multiply that by thousands of hospitals across the U.S., and one quickly knows that we need thousands of blood units to make up for this shortage.” Andrews is also the medical director of the institution’s blood bank. Jennifer Andrews, M.Sc., associate professor of pathology, microbiology, and immunology, and associate professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN.ĭr. “At our hospital, we are short by hundreds of blood units,” said Dr. To understand more about this issue, Medical News Today spoke with three experts whose practice is directly affected by the blood shortage alongside two who have been relatively unaffected. It is therefore crucial for people to donate blood to save lives. “If there is not an immediate opportunity available to donate, donors are asked to make an appointment in the days and weeks ahead to ensure the Red Cross can replenish and maintain a sufficient blood supply,” they continued.īlood cannot be manufactured, and there is no alternative treatment for blood transfusion. “All types are needed now, especially types O positive and O negative, as well as platelet donations, to help reverse this national blood crisis,” wrote the American Red Cross in a press release. To solve this shortage, the Red Cross is raising awareness and urging individuals to donate blood: However, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has seen a 10% decline in the number of people donating blood. Under normal circumstances, the Red Cross supplies 40% of the U.S.’s national blood supply that hospitals use. have under 3 days of blood supply - the minimum necessary to meet regular demand. As of January 14, 2022, 68% of blood centers in the U.S.
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