The American Red Cross says that it must collect 10,000 additional blood products each week over the next month for the blood supply to recover and meet hospital and patient needs. That, according to Justin Kern of the American Red Cross of Wisconsin, who reports that a sharp drop in blood donor turnout has contributed to the lowest post-summer blood inventory level in six years. Kern blames COVID-19 which stopped many workplace-based blood drives, delays by donors returning in-person to those work places, as well as the recent surge in COVID-19 cases due to the delta variant.
Supplies of types O positive and O negative, the most needed blood types by hospitals, dropped to less than a half-day supply at times over the last month. Ideally, a 5-day supply is the goal.
You can make an appointment to donate blood at RedCrossBlood.org.
Upcoming blood drives in Sheboygan County include:
Cedar Grove – 10/12/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Faith Reformed Church, 243 S Fourth St
Random Lake – 10/11/2021: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Our Lady of the Lakes, 230 Butler St.
Sheboygan:
10/1/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Etude Group, 830 Virginia Ave
10/1/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
10/8/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
10/15/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
10/22/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
Comments