Countywide : Red Cross Worried Over Blood Shortage
Red Cross officials are urging healthy people to donate blood to offset an unusually early summer blood shortage.
The nationwide shortage is especially worrisome in Southern California because blood has to be imported here from throughout the country during normal times.
Unless donors step forward, the blood supply may fall below emergency levels, forcing patients to delay elective surgeries, said spokeswoman Judy Iannaccone.
Normally, blood shortages are rare before Labor Day.
This year blood supplies have been chronically low in part because severe weather in the midwest and eastern portions of the country during the winter hampered blood collection efforts, she said.
Furthermore, about half of the people who schedule appointments to donate blood fail to show up. If all the people who scheduled appointments followed through, the crisis would be over, she said.
Potential donors should call (800) 974-2113 to make an appointment.
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