The American Red Cross is urging donors across the country, including in Newport Beach, to give blood after declaring an emergency shortage driven by a 25% drop in the national blood supply during June.
Red Cross distributions to hospitals are running nearly 3,500 units per week above expected levels, the organization said in a news release published Sunday, July 13. The gap has widened since the end of May, threatening the ability of emergency departments, operating rooms, and labor and delivery units to serve patients with urgent needs.
"We're asking donors to give now before doctors are forced to make those difficult decisions," said Dr. Courtney Lawrence, medical director for the American Red Cross, referring to potential delays in surgeries, cancer treatments, and trauma care.
The shortage is especially serious for platelets and types O positive and B negative blood, according to the Red Cross.
What's behind the drop
The Red Cross, which supplies about 40% of the nation's blood products, pointed to a combination of factors: busy summer schedules, the seasonal loss of school-based blood drives, and higher-than-normal hospital demand during summer trauma season. The organization said the decline in donations has accelerated since the end of May.
How to donate
Newport Beach residents who give blood between Monday, July 13, and Thursday, July 31, will receive a free Fandango movie ticket by email, worth up to $15 fees included, according to the Red Cross.
To find a nearby blood drive or schedule an appointment, residents can visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-733-2767. Additional details about the Fandango incentive are available at RedCrossBlood.org/July.
The Red Cross noted that someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion every two seconds. Lawrence urged community members to act before hospitals are forced to postpone procedures or ration supply.
Residents seeking more information about local blood drives and donation eligibility can visit RedCrossBlood.org.
