(Des Moines)– There’s a major blood shortage in the U-S and Iowa. A quarter of the blood centers in the Midwest have just a day’s supply or even less on hand.
Emily Holley with the American Red Cross in Iowa says our blood supply is at the lowest it has been this time of year in six years. She says it’s critical right now that folks give blood.
Many blood centers report they’re running critically low of O-negative blood. It’s the most common blood type used in emergencies when a patient’s blood type is unknown.
Holley says more donations are also needed for platelets, which often go to patients battling cancer and other chronic illnesses.
