Red Cross: Blood Supply Low in Northwest

[Rose Siding]

PORTLAND, Ore. -- American Red Cross supplies of two blood types commonly used for transfusions are at a critical shortage, the organization said Wednesday.

The Red Cross, which supplies 80 hospitals in Oregon, Washington and Alaska, had less than one day's supply of O-positive and 36 units of O-negative. A normal reserve of O-negative is 282 units.

The Red Cross said the shortage resulted in hospitals being unable to supply blood to some patients.

The O-blood types are in demand because they are universal, meaning they can be transfused into patients in an emergency room before a blood type test is conducted. The O-types are also those most often transfused into infants, according to the Red Cross.

The nonprofit has issued what it calls a "Red Alert" for blood donors of these types.
.....
"We are calling on all eligible Type-O donors to immediately schedule a blood donation appointment to help us ensure that trauma, cancer, and premature infant patients receive the lifesaving blood they need when they need it," he said

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-blood-shortage,0,5499829.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[swag]

1. I'm scheduled in next Wednesday in Portland