Blood donations urged as July 4 brings worst blood shortage in two years
Blood services provider Vitalant reported Monday that the organization’s type O blood supply had dropped to a nationwide two-year low following the Fourth of July weekend, according to a press release by the nonprofit.
“Typically at Vitalant we strive to have four days of blood on hand, and we currently only have two,” said Kristin Connor, the organization’s northern California communications manager.
To return blood supplies to normal levels, thousands of appointments throughout the Sacramento region and elsewhere need to be filled before the end of July, according to Vitalant.
Blood supplies are typically lower in the summer as people leave for summer vacations, and as high schools and colleges are no longer in session, but Conor said this year’s shortage has been particularly severe.
“America’s 250th birthday compounded an already low blood supply as travel and holiday-related activities affected donor turnout,” the press release said.
Type O blood is critical to medical providers for a number of reasons. O-negative blood, considered a universal donor type, can be transfused to anyone, and is used frequently in time-sensitive situations when a patient’s blood type can’t be determined right away. However, only 7% of the population has the rare O-negative blood type. As a result, O-negative blood is usually the first to run out.
In contrast, O-positive blood is the most common blood type, composing 38% of the population. However, individuals with O-positive blood can only receive Type O blood.
Together, the O-positive and O-negative blood make Type O blood the most common and most transfused blood type. As a result, Type O is the first to run out during shortages.
Connor explains that blood shortages can force doctors to make difficult decisions. “When there’s a shortage, doctors may have to decide who can receive it immediately and who can wait,” said Michael Martinez, Vitalant’s regional director, in the press release.
According to Connor, this year is the first in two years that the organization has had to send out a press release related to a shortage.
The American Red Cross was also experiencing a nationwide shortage, according to call operators. On May 28, the Red Cross had published a press release calling for donations as scheduled appointments had “dropped sharply” in weeks leading up to the statement.
The organization’s blood supply had fallen by several thousand units in just one week, leading many to worry about the summer season, which typically brings about an increase in trauma injuries, according to the press release.
“This period between Memorial Day and Labor Day brings an increase in severe injuries from car accidents, ATV crashes, sports-related injuries and other summer activities.”
Vitalant is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit blood services providers supplying blood to healthcare facilities including hospitals.
The organization urges eligible blood and platelet donors, especially those with type-O blood, to make appointments at donation centers.
