Community Blood Center calls for blood donors ahead of winter shortage
TaMya Bracy
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)– Blood supplies often become critically low during the winter months due to the holidays, increased illnesses and severe weather cancelling drives.
According to the Community Blood Center, Blood donations nationwide typically drop by more than one-third during the winter months.
Chelsey Smith, senior director of public relations at the Community Blood Center, said seasonal illnesses are a major factor contributing to the blood supply shortage, particularly this year.
“It’s been all over the news all over the country. That flu cases are spiking very heavily and honestly pretty early for flu season this year. What that means is that a good portion of the donors typically rely on to regularly and routinely donate throughout the year,” she said. “When they get sick, they can’t donate blood. So until people start feeling better, until people recover from whatever seasonal illness they have, we’re not going to see them inside our doors.”
Smith said holiday travel usually takes donors out of the region.
“When they’re away and traveling, they’re not here to give their routine donations. We very quickly feel that strain because it’s not just one or two donors here or there that are traveling the holidays or experiencing seasonal illness; it’s hundreds and hundreds of them all at the same time,” Smith said.
Supplies of O-negative, O-positive and B-negative blood are critically low, with only a one to two-day supply on hand, creating an urgent need for donors.
Smith said those blood types are commonly used in emergency settings.
“That means, is they use a lot of blood. O-positive is actually the most common blood type in the United States; almost half the population has O-positive blood,” Smith said. “O-positive blood to receive treatment. Right now very critical need for type O-negative and O-positive. We need donations of all types of blood across the board.”
Smith said hospitals need at least a seven-day supply of blood product on the shelf at all times.
“When we’re at a three or four day supply, it means for several days behind in terms of being able to fully and safely supply our hospitals all across the Missouri and Kansas area, that means we’re 2400 units short of what we need right now,” she said. “What we’re needing is not only people that come in for those every day, 600 donations a day that we need, but we need even more than that right now to help bridge that gap and get us back to a seven-day supply.”
Smith said when blood donations decline, hospitals feel that immediately, especially since a lot of patients rely on donations.
“That can include cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy and trauma patients, gunshot wound victims. It can also include those who are chronically transfused,” she said. “So patients with sickle cell disease sometimes need weekly, but most often they need it every three or four weeks, monthly throughout their entire life.”
One blood donation has the potential to save up to three lives. Those unable to donate blood are still encouraged to spread the message.
“Tell your friends, your neighbors, your family members about the importance of blood donation, and invite them to donate on your behalf,” said Smith.
Anyone interested in donating blood or attending a drive can visit the Community Blood Center website.