Blood Shortage
A decline in the blood supply in Los Angeles and Orange counties may force hospitals to postpone elective surgeries over the holidays, we learned from Thomas A. Schallert, associate administrator of the American Red Cross Blood Services.
Christmas and the end of summer period around Labor Day always pose a problem for blood banks because it is more difficult to organize group donations. This year, with Christmas and New Year’s being observed on Mondays, there is in effect a three-week hiatus instead of the usual two-week slowdown, further complicating the fact that the banks never fully recovered from the summer shortage. So donations are running at about half the rate of 1,300 donors a day required to meet regional needs.
“We are very, very low, particularly in group O,” Schallert reported.
To facilitate shoring up the dwindling supplies, the Red Cross is appealing to individual donors with all types of blood to make appointments for a donation at one of seven centers in Los Angeles County or one of three in Orange County. The need is for 3,000 volunteers. The Red Cross telephones are (213) 739-5530 for Los Angeles County and (714) 835-5381 for Orange County.
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