The Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types, over two days less than the standard five-day supply necessary for emergencies and hospital needs, after the holiday season resulted in over 27,000 less blood and platelet donations needed to sustain their supply, according to a press release from the Red Cross.
In December 2018, winter weather caused the amount of uncollected blood and platelet donations to double the number of uncollected donations in 2017.
Blood is currently being shipped out to hospitals more quickly than donations are being replaced, and Cliff Numark, senior vice president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said the decline is may only get worse as severe winter weather and flu season pick up.
“Many people may not realize that blood products are perishable, and the only source of lifesaving blood for patients is volunteer blood donors,” Numark said in the release. “When donations decline – as they did around the holidays and may further decline if severe winter weather and flu season pick up – lifesaving medical treatments could be delayed.”
Throughout the season, about 1,340 more blood drives would have been needed to meet patient needs. As it gets colder, many scheduled drives may be cancelled. Last January and
February, cancelations lead to the cancelation of hundreds of drives and around 23,000 uncollected blood and platelet donations.
Upcoming Donation Drives:
Athens
1/16/2019: 12:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, Clark Crossing Shopping Ctr
1/17/2019: 8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, Clark Crossing Shopping Ctr
1/17/2019: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Athens Technical College- Student Ctr Spring, 800 US Hwy 29 North
1/17/2019: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., University of Georgia Vet School, 501 Brooks Drive
1/17/2019: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., University of Georgia Tate Student Center, UGA Tate Student
1/18/2019: 8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, Clark Crossing Shopping Ctr
1/19/2019: 7:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, Clark Crossing Shopping Ctr
1/20/2019: 7:45 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, Clark Crossing Shopping Ctr
1/21/2019: 12:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, Clark Crossing Shopping Ctr
