Red Cross Declares First National Blood Crisis

The Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis for the first time as it says its supply is running dangerously low. Oklahoma is one of only a few states that have multiple sources of blood for their hospitals, meaning the shortage is not as severe in Oklahoma compared to other states.

The Red Cross says the contributing factors in the low supply are weather impacting donation drives, the surge in COVID-19, and a lack of donors in general. It says this is the lowest it has been in over a decade.

The states most impacted by the shortage are those that only receive blood from the Red Cross, like many Northeast states. Many of those states only have one blood supply option while some states have two. Here in Oklahoma, blood comes from the Red Cross, but 40% of the supply to hospitals comes from the Oklahoma Blood Institute.

By having two supply options, the state is not as low on blood as some other states, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need help.

Red Cross Spokesperson Matt Trotter said they need Oklahomans to step in and donate blood to help stock up other regions that are down to a one-day supply. Trotter said they are having to allocate what cases are most serious in the moment, to decide who gets the little blood available.

“If this continues we are going to be stuck in this cycle of trying to see where the need is greatest and who needs blood the most,” Trotter said.

If you would like to donate, you can find a location to do so near you by Clicking Here.

By donating blood to the Red Cross, you will be entered to win two tickets to the Superbowl in Los Angeles.