Americans urged to donate blood

The AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross Friday urged eligible individuals to donate blood, calling the nation’s blood supply “critically low.”

In addition to “unprecedented” fluctuations in supply and need since the COVID-19 pandemic began, recent events such as wildfires and hurricanes have further disrupted blood collection, “compounding the impact of canceled blood drives at schools, businesses and community organizations due to remote work and closures,” the organizations said. “At the same time, the need for blood continues to increase as more hospitals throughout the country resume normal surgery schedules and more patients require blood. The impact of COVID-19 as flu season approaches could further compound challenges to maintaining a readily available blood supply for patients in need of life-saving treatments this fall and winter.”