Blood supplies reach critically low levels

[KSTP-TV News, December 27, 2021] The American Red Cross is pushing out new incentives for blood donations as the nation's blood supply reaches "dangerously low levels."

The Red Cross prefers to have a three- to five-day supply of blood on hand to be shipped out to hospitals. In recent weeks, they are often down to a one-day supply or less.

That means Twin Cities hospitals are sometimes not able to secure enough blood for their standard operations, forcing them to make difficult decisions about whether certain procedures can happen.

"We know that if we use what we have and we can't get more, that's a critical situation," said Dr. Lauren Anthony, laboratory medical director at Allina Health. "We always have to have blood products on hand for emergencies."

In recent weeks, she said hospitals have had to consider delaying non-emergency surgeries due to lack of blood.