Donors Asked To Roll Up Their Sleeves To Cope With Critical Blood Shortage

The American Red Cross continued its emergency appeal for blood donors this week, stressing that blood supplies in Connecticut remain at a 25-year low. Blood donations are well below the 600 blood units needed each day to supply hospital orders for blood products, the agency said.

“If this trend continues, it is inevitable that hospitals will need to postpone surgeries again,” said Dr Richard Cable, medical director for the Connecticut Region of the American Red Cross.

“It is imperative that people in Connecticut respond to this appeal,” he said. “They’re the only solution to this urgent situation.”

A blood drive is scheduled for Wednesday, August 13, from 1:30 to 6:15 pm, at the Sandy Hook Firehouse on Riverside Road.

 On July 7, when the agency first issued its appeal, the blood supply deficit on Red Cross shelves was 2,154 units of blood, primarily Group O blood. During this time, some hospitals postponed needed surgeries. In the days following the appeal, inventories improved slightly and the deficit decreased to an average of 1,800 units. In the last few days, however, lower than estimated blood collections have increased this deficit to 2,224 units. The only reason that surgeries have not been postponed again is that this shortage is more evenly spread across several blood groups.

Because this shortage is the worst the state has seen in 25 years, it will take several weeks of strong blood collections to put the blood supply back on steady ground. After blood donations arrive at the Blood Center in Farmington, they are tested, processed, and during shortages are immediately distributed to the state’s 31 transfusing hospitals for patient transfusion needs.

Red Cross officials said that five of the eight blood types are below a one-day supply. All blood types are needed, but of particular concern are O-Negative and O-Positive blood types. O-Negative blood is the universal blood type, which can be safely transfused to any patient. This blood type is used in emergency situations when there is no time to type the patient’s blood.

Most healthy people who are at least 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds or more are eligible to donate every 56 days.

The Red Cross urges everyone to make an appointment immediately to give blood by calling 800-GIVE LIFE (800-448-3543), or visit www.bloodct.org to find a listing of community blood drives.