(KWNO)-The American Red Cross is sounding the alarm over its worse blood shortage in more than a decade.
“We are at the point where our blood supply is lower than it’s been in more than 10 years,” Melanie Tschida, Executive Director of the Red Cross Southeast Minnesota told KWNO. “Hospitals are having to make decisions about which patients get to go forward with procedures and which ones have to wait. That’s the seriousness of this situation.”
Tschida said the supply has been low for a few months but has reached a level where the Red Cross is asking every blood donor to donate within the next several weeks. Tschida says pandemic closures have chipped away at locations to hold blood drives.
She says donations typically slow down during the holidays and the weeks that follow. She said the Red Cross has also had issues staffing donation drives.
Tschida says donors can find appointments by entering their zip code on the Red Cross’s website or by downloading the Red Cross app.
Two drives are scheduled in Winona this month. The first is Fri., Jan. 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Winona Family YMCA and the second is set for Thurs., Jan. 20 from 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at St. Matthews Lutheran Church.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
