The following statement has been issued by AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross regarding the status of the nation’s blood supply:
Blood donations are critically needed now and throughout the summer to ensure availability of all blood types for patients in need. While summer can often be a challenging season for blood donations, blood collection organizations are facing a unique and concerning set of challenges this June.
As the nation resumes some level of normalcy with progress in our battle against the pandemic, hospital need for blood is increasing. The majority of hospitals have resumed nonessential surgeries and patients throughout the U.S. are resuming treatment options that include the use of blood and blood components that were postponed during the past year. These factors and more have led to a rise both in the number of patients who need blood – and an increased need for eligible individuals to donate.
AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross are joining together to urge eligible, healthy individuals to make an appointment to donate blood now and throughout the summer. Doing so is essential to the availability of the nation’s blood supply, which ensures life-saving medical treatments are not delayed for patients in need.