Local hospitals face blood shortage

Photo+courtesy+of+BBC%0A

Photo courtesy of BBC

   Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, local hospitals are running out of blood. This is adding additional stress to the already stressed hospitals. Duke is currently operating at 30 to 50 percent of its normal blood supply. The blood shortage is forcing hospitals to defer patients from major surgeries including organ transplants. “We are managing day-to-day, hour to hour at this time,” the Biomedical Executive for American Red Cross Garret Reid said. The Red Cross is experiencing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. 

Donations are desperately needed and could save lives. In 2019, students accounted for about 25 percent of blood donors, but because of the pandemic, there has been a 62 percent drop in college and high school blood drives. Now, students only make up 10 percent of donors. 

   There’s an immediate need for blood and you can easily make an appointment on the American Red Cross website or call 1-800-435-7669. There are also many blood drives coming up including one at the University of North Carolina Rex Hospital on January 17th in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. To be able to donate, you must be 16 with parental consent and be at least 110 pounds. The whole donation process takes about an hour and the actual donation only takes about eight to ten minutes. 

   “For now hospitals are managing, said Dr. Lisa Pickett, the Chief Medical Officer at Duke University Hospital, but if this trend continues the road ahead will be tough.”