Blood in Short Supply in Region

The Greater Alleghenies Region of the American Red Cross Blood Services says blood supplies in the region are at “very, very low levels.” CEO Jim Starr says while they have not asked the 97 hospitals they serve to cancel any elective surgeries they are seeing critically low levels of some blood types. He says they began the day with just 14 units of the universal donor, o-negative, on the shelf. Starr says the holidays are always are tough time for blood banks and the recent bad weather has made things even more difficult. He says they have had to cancel 12 drives in recent days due to snow and ice. He says they expected to collect about 1,000 units from those drives. Starr says it will be a while before the supply is replenished. He says once a call for donations goes out it takes a few days for people to hear the call and make an appointment, then a few more days before their appointment and another two days to process the blood and get it to the hospitals. Anyone over the age of 17 who weighs at least 110 pounds and is in good health can set up an appointment bay calling 1-800- GIVE LIFE or they can visit the Red Cross web site.