In her 15 years\u00a0working working with blood banks, Dr. Claudia Cohn says she’s never seen the national blood supply so low.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the worst shortage I’ve experienced since I’ve been in this in this line of work,\u201d said\u00a0Cohn, the American Association of Blood Banks’ chief medical officer.<\/p>\n
The association’s\u00a0Interorganizational Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism\u00a0says the blood supply in the United States has dropped to \u201cred\u201d level, meaning most of the nation’s blood bank inventories\u00a0have less than\u00a0a one day supply. Donations are urgently needed.<\/p>\n
Blood banks centers consider themselves\u00a0prepared when they have on hand about three day’s\u00a0worth of the normal demand for blood, Cohn said.<\/p>\n
The taskforce, made up of U.S. blood services, associations and commercial entities and government liaisons, said this is the first time its lowest supply designation has been reached since the nationwide shutdown in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The issue now is one of supply and demand, Cohn said. Blood drives are being held less frequently because of pandemic related closures, while nonessential surgical procedures postponed during stay at home orders are\u00a0resuming as vaccination rates increase.\u00a0Summer also is the peak season for traffic crashes, which can put a strain blood supplies.<\/p>\n
In northern Nevada, blood banks have about 50% less\u00a0supply than normal, said Scott Edward, senior recruitment manager for Vitalant,\u00a0a nationwide blood services provider.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about a 20% drop in units that we’re able to collect from our from mobile (blood drives) so it’s a sizable percent,”\u00a0Edward said.\u00a0“Even the drives that we do add, it’s difficult for us to\u00a0book the drives that we need to feel confident.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edward said the \u201cunusual state\u201d of donations likely will continue through the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Blood donations are used in surgeries, traumatic injuries and chronic illnesses. According to the Red Cross, approximately 36,000 units of blood are needed every day. 13.6 million units are collected each year.<\/p>\n
Cohn says donating blood is an easy way to help the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cA blood donation takes 60 minutes to an hour and a half, and each time they do that they’re saving a life,” she said.<\/p>\n