Red Cross declares crisis over blood shortage in US for second time in its history
www.bbc.com
Fewer donations and higher demand has seen a supply shortage worsen, the American Red Cross tells the BBC.

A blood supply shortage in the US has reached a “crisis” level, according to the American Red Cross, which says it is the second time in its 150-year history that levels have been this low.

Factors including wildfires and extreme heat have combined to create the current situation, Dr Courtney Lawrence, who works with the American Red Cross, told the BBC.

Supply levels dropped by a quarter just last month. The crisis has struck during summer, when the amount of blood needed by hospitals typically increases.

That is because of an increased number of car accidents and more people spending time outdoors, resulting in more injuries that require blood transfusions, Lawrence said.

  • PointlessLifePersonified@slrpnk.net
    15·
    5 days ago

    Do they still refuse people who lived in Europe from 1980 (or 1981, I don’t remember the start year) on for fear of mad cow disease? I know someone who says they were there just a few months past the start of that window, and mad cow didn’t even make the news for nearly a decade after that. Red Cross was still refusing his donations last time he tried, despite not showing any signs of the disease in all this time.

    • village604@adultswim.fanEnglish
      23·
      5 days ago

      That’s the terrifying thing about prion disease. It can lay dormant for decades then just pop up and kill you. Might be tomorrow, might be when you’re 83.

    • HelloDingo@slrpnk.net
      2·
      4 days ago

      Nope! I grew up overseas and they finally eased those restrictions a couple of years ago.

      I can’t vouch for the Red Cross specifically, but the blood bank I work for has no issues with it anymore.