Red Cross declares national blood crisis

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- The American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis, after facing its worst blood shortage in over a decade.

Due to the blood shortage, the Red Cross has had to limit blood distributions to hospitals, which has raised concerns for patient care:

“Doctors have been forced to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available,” says the American Red Cross.

The American Cross has realized a drop in blood donations since the start of the Pandemic, and are seeing ongoing blood drive cancellations due to illness, weather-related closures, and staffing limitations.