© 2024 WNIJ and WNIU
Northern Public Radio
801 N 1st St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-9000
Northern Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

American Red Cross Calls For Donors Amid Severe Blood Shortage

www.redcross.org

The American Red Cross says there is a severe blood shortage, and donors of all blood types are needed. They issued an emergency call for donations in early July, and the need remains high.

Laura McGuire is a spokesperson for the Red Cross. She says right now blood donations are going to hospitals faster than they are coming in, and new donations are critical.

“One of the things people don’t know about blood is blood cannot be manufactured. The only way that we can get blood is through one another. With that being said, it’s so important to have blood on the shelf before emergencies happen,” McGuire says.

During the summer blood donations may drop when people are busy and don’t make time to donate.

McGuire explains, “we’re dealing with a summer timeframe, and we have people out and about with vacations and summer holidays, and they necessarily don’t make it a priority to come and give blood.”

The Red Cross is asking donors of all types to give blood. Types O positive and O negative are especially critical. McGuire says people who have donated recently can do so again after 56 days.