Code Red: severe blood shortage for WA hospitals
Locally, the Red Cross has scheduled a blood drive in Ephrata on Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
OLYMPIA – Two of the three regional blood banks serving Washington state are facing a severe blood shortage due to the lingering effects from heavy rains and floods in December, combined with a slowdown in donations, according to the Washington Department of Health.
“The shortage is especially bad for Type O blood and platelets, which are in high demand for emergency treatments, surgeries, and other life-saving procedures,” the department stated in a recent press release.
Both Bloodworks Northwest and the American Red Cross have started bringing in blood from other parts of the country to meet the demand. However, this is not sustainable, said state health officials. Winter weather and the holidays have also slowed donations nationally, and many blood drives were cancelled.
Locally, the Red Cross has scheduled a blood drive in Ephrata on Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ephrata Recreation Center, 112 Basin St. S.W.
Red Cross officials say all blood types are needed right now. Anyone age 17 or older, weighing 110 pounds or more, and in good general health is a potential donor.
An appointment can be scheduled by calling 1-800-733-2767 or online at www.redcrossblood.org. A pre-donation “Rapid Pass” questionnaire can also be completed on the website. Prospective donors should bring personal identification and donor cards, or download the Blood Donor App on their smart phones.
Bloodworks Northwest has 38,000 open donation appointments through the end of February, nearly 23,000 of which must be filled by Valentine’s Day to stabilize the blood supply. Two donor centers closed early this week due to a lack of donors.
“That single act can save multiple lives. It could be a child fighting cancer, a parent recovering from surgery, or a neighbor injured in an accident. Right now, those lives depend on all of us giving life together," said Bloodworks president and CEO Curt Bailey.
Bloodworks Northwest has declared a Code Red, which means that they have less than a one- to two-day supply of critical blood types and platelets available.
One pint of donated blood can save up to three lives by providing red blood cells, plasma, or platelets to people in need. It takes 1,000 donors a day to keep up with the demand for blood, according to the state DOH.
Donation appointments can be scheduled at your convenience and take about an hour. Learn more details, including eligibility requirements, by visiting Northwest Blood Coalition members’ websites:
