Red Cross Blood Supply Low; Rationing Set Up
Blood inventory levels in Los Angeles and Orange counties are 30% below desired levels, forcing the American Red Cross to ration blood to hospitals, Dr. Carroll L. Spurling, director of the agency’s blood services for the two counties, said Thursday.
The shortage, which prompted the Red Cross to declare a state of emergency, may be partly due to the AIDS scare, Spurling added.
“We are particularly low in Type O, the type used most and most essential for trauma center emergencies,” he said.
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