Emergency blood shortage may delay medical procedures, warns American Red Cross
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, January 12th, 2024 in Featured Stories More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
OREGON – As the national blood shortage continues, the American Red Cross are continuing to encourage donations whenever possible. Notably, the American Red Cross Cascades Region warn that donation shortfall over the holidays could impact medical procedures and blood transfusion in Oregon. As written in a recent red Cross Release:
“The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. The Red Cross blood supply has fallen to critically low levels across the country, and blood and platelet donors are urged to make a donation appointment to help alleviate the shortage and help ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not put on hold.
Over the last 20 years, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%. When fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to blood donations – such as the nearly 7,000-unit shortfall in blood donations the Red Cross experienced between Christmas and New Year’s Day alone – can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusion. Blood products are currently going to hospitals faster than blood donations are coming in, and in recent weeks, the Red Cross has had to limit distributions of type O blood products – among the most transfused blood types – to hospitals.”
For those in eastern Oregon looking to donate, local blood drives can be searched and registered for online at https://www.redcrossblood.org/. Upcoming local drives for Union and Baker Counties specifically are as follows:
La Grande:
Drive Details:
Site: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints- La Grande
Address: 1802 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR, 97850
Date: Tue Jan 16, 2024
Time: 12:00 PM – 06:00 PM
Drive Details:
Site: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints- La Grande
Address: 1802 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR, 97850
Date: Wed Jan 17, 2024
Time: 9:00 AM – 03:00 PM
Baker City
Drive Details:
Site: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints- Baker City
Address: 2625 Hughes Ln, Baker City, OR, 97814
Room Name: Cultural Center
Date: Mon Jan 22, 2024
Time: 12:00 PM – 06:00 PM
Drive Details:
Site: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints- Baker City
Address: 2625 Hughes Ln, Baker City, OR, 97814
Room Name: Cultural Center
Date: Tue Jan 23, 2024
Time: 09:00 AM – 03:00 PM
