As the provider of about 40% of the U.S. blood supply, the American Red Cross aims to keep about a five-day supply on hand at any given time, coordinating distribution with some 2,600 hospitals across the nation. But lately, said spokesperson Joe Zydlo, that stock of “blood on the shelves” has dwindled to one day’s worth.
“What happens is [that] when you have only a day supply, when disaster hits in a particular area, such as tornadoes that we saw last month … blood drives will be canceled,” Zydlo, the regional communications manager for the American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas, said Monday on St. Louis on the Air.
“You may have donor centers that are closed due to what happened. And so, you can’t collect enough blood to hopefully provide to your hospitals.”
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood, he said, adding that there’s also been an increase “in more need for more blood products over the last several months.”
Zydlo pointed to a couple of factors driving the increasing demand, suggesting that some of the need comes because people who paused elective procedures during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic are finally undergoing things like hip or knee replacements. He said trauma situations are also on the rise around the U.S. as “more people are getting out.”
There was a surge in blood donors early in the COVID-19 pandemic as people searched for ways to help. But in recent months, the Red Cross has seen a significant decrease in first-time blood donors — a 13.5% drop in the St. Louis region.
“We really rely on those first-time donors to come,” Zydlo said.
There has been:
-A 10% overall blood donation decline since March 2020.
-A 62% drop in college and high school blood drives due to the pandemic. Student donors accounted for 25% of donors in 2019 and just 10% since.
-Ongoing blood drive cancellations due to illness, weather-related closures and staffing limitations.
Additional factors like a surge of COVID-19 cases and an active flu season may compound the already tough situation.
Blood cannot be manufactured or stockpiled and can only be made available through the kindness of volunteer donors. Less than a one-day supply of critical blood types in recent weeks.
“At a time when many businesses and organizations across the country are experiencing pandemic challenges, the Red Cross is no different,” the Red Cross says.
“We are all learning how to live in this new environment, how we spend our time, where we work, how we give back, how we make a difference in the lives of others – donating blood must continue to be part of it.
The Red Cross is providing incentives to prospective blood donors. It is partnering with the NFL are in January, National Blood Donor Month. Donors who come to give through Jan. 31, 2022, will automatically be entered to win two tickets to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles.
Evie Hemphill is a producer for “St. Louis on the Air” at St. Louis Public Radio.
