Wednesday, December 31, 2003
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Wednesday, December 31, 2003 |
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Blood supply dwindles; donors needed with Types O and B at critical levels A serious blood shortage has developed with an increased demand for blood in Georgia, according to officials with the American Red Cross. Inventories of Type O and Type B blood are below critical levels and will remain there without a dramatic turnout of donors over the next two weeks, officials said. To help reinvigorate the blood supply, the Red Cross is extending hours at donor centers all week and opening all its donor centers New Year’s Day. The closest donation center to Fayette is in Stockbridge at 675 Southcrest Parkway, across Ga. Highway 138 from the Garden Ridge store. Appointments to donate blood may be made by calling the Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (448-3543). The current blood shortage is partially due to increased blood demand at Georgia hospitals and fewer collections during late December and early January during the holiday period, officials said. “Because we are anticipating a larger than normal surgery schedule beginning Jan. 5 and with the potential of emergency transplant surgeries over the New Year’s holiday, it is essential that we have higher than normal collections everyday from now through the week of Jan. 5,” said Chris Hrouda, chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Blood Services Southern Region. Most healthy people at least 17 years old weighing 110 pounds or more can safely give blood every 56 days. The Southern Region needs 1,200 donors each day to serve patients in need. The need for blood is constant because donated blood only lasts up to 42 days. The Southern Region supplies blood to more than 140 hospitals and healthcare facilities in Georgia. — John Munford
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