American Red Cross Seeing Critical Need For Blood Donations
Feb 19, 2021, 2:16 PM | Updated: 2:56 pm
FILE (Photo by Joern Pollex/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joern Pollex/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The severe winter weather across the county has left the American Red Cross in desperate need of blood donations.
Snow, freezing temps and even tornados forced the organization to cancel blood drives in more than 30 states.
❄️ #WinterWeather across the U.S. has caused Red Cross blood drives in 30+ states to be cancelled – impacting nearly 20K blood, platelet & convalescent plasma donations this month alone. If you're in an unaffected area, please make an appointment to give: https://t.co/Op5yw3tdlO pic.twitter.com/1KY0hEzXvW
— American Red Cross (@RedCross) February 19, 2021
“Icy roads and precipitation have challenged the ability of many blood providers including the American Red Cross to get lifesaving blood products to hospitals in impacted areas — especially in Texas,” said Jessa Merrill, spokesperson for the Red Cross.
The American Red Cross said it lost roughly 20,000 blood, platelet and convalescent plasma donations this month, and some blood centers have reported critically low inventories.
Officials added there is a particular need for Type O negative blood, which can be given to a person with any blood type in an emergency.
You can find Utah Red Cross locations here.
Debra Vaughn with the American Red Cross checks on Wanda Pennywell at a shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. (American Red Cross)
Meanwhile, the Red Cross opened 160 shelters and warming centers in Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia because of extremely cold temperatures and widespread power outages.
The Red Cross said more than 2,000 people stayed in those shelters Thursday night, most of them in Texas.
